Where The Dream Begins
by MysticLove98
Summary: When Rachel is tragically robbed of her dreams in New York, she returns to Lima and becomes a teacher. Years later, a mysterious little girl is enrolled into her class and changes the brunette's life forever.
1. Chapter 1

**Summary: When Rachel is tragically robbed of her dreams in New York, she returns back to Lima and becomes a teacher. Years later, a mysterious little girl is enrolled into her class and changes the brunette's life forever.**

**Hello Everyone**

**Sorry i couldn't get this idea out of my head so i had no choice but to write it. I'm not sure if its any good or if I'll continue it so please voice your opinions :)**

**I'm gonna shut up and stop rambling, thank you for taking the time to even read it and i sincerely hope you like the idea.  
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**I don't own glee or any of its Characters.**

**Sorry for any spelling errors and mistakes you find.**

**Enjoy :)  
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The shattered remains of her broken dreams cut her deeper than any physical pain she could ever imagine. Rachel knew life was unfair but she had been taught the hard way how cruel it could really be. Sitting behind her desk, surrounded by children's laughter only fueled her emotions and reminded her of a time long ago, when she too was once happy.

High school had never been kind to Rachel, but she never let them break her. The brunette knew that everyone who tormented her would one day see her name etched in bright lights while they struggled to make ends meet.

Rachel was annoyingly confident back then and rightfully so, because out of all the kids enrolled at McKinley, the brunette knew that she was the only one with enough raw talent and motivation to accomplish her big dreams and aspirations.

After she had left high school, Juilliard had welcomed her with open arms, which of course had surprised no-one. Within the first year of college, Rachel had won the lead role of an off Broadway production that already had critics positively buzzing.

Finally her life seemed perfect. All the years of torment and teasing were truly put behind her as she soared to the top. Before she knew it, people were asking for autographs and for the first time in her life, Rachel felt loved.

Before the brunette knew it, that time of year had approached again and she was celebrating her 21st birthday with her cast mates at a classy bar. Most of the night was an exciting blur, due to the amount of alcohol she had consumed. After sobering up, Rachel decided to head home and sleep off the rest of the vodka shots currently swimming in her system. She had never been more content with her life as she stepped out of the bar and headed home. Unfortunately for Rachel, she never made it back to the safety of her apartment.

That night, Rachel had lost everything.

Before her mind could wander further into the dark and depressing past, a voice snapped her back to reality.

"Hey Rach, you okay?"

The girl in question mentally shook her head and stared up at the man in-front of her. Finn hadn't changed much since high school. He was still the dopey guy who was obsessed with video games and football. The only difference now was that he was the one who wouldn't leave her alone.

"Im Fine Finn, thank you for asking" she softly smiled at him in reassurance.

Finn eyed her warily before hesitantly accepting her answer. "Let me know if you need someone to talk to Rach, you know im always here for you" he whispered before clearing his throat and straightening his posture. "I just came by to tell you that there's a little girl standing outside your classroom. I tried talking her into coming in but she wont budge" She raised an eyebrow as Finn gave her his still dorky lop-sided smile. The brunette barely fought the urge to tell him to go away or roll her eyes. Sometimes he really couldn't take a hint.

Rachel turned her gaze toward the classroom door, where kids were now starting to come in. There, standing still in the hallway directly in front of the room was a small, light brown haired girl, no older than 6. She looked scared as her eyes scanned the large mass of kids around her with worry. Rachel smiled at her as the child froze then ducked her head in embarrassment. "She's new here right?"

Finn Shrugged "I think so, i mean i haven't seen here around before"

Rachel slowly nodded and stood up. "Thanks Finn, ill check on her now" before the brunette could make her way out the door, a strong hand softly took hold of her wrist. The girl turned around curiously studying the now nervous man, silently asking him for an explanation.

"Rach , I know that i promised not to push you...but it's been 3 weeks and you still haven't given me an answer"

"Finn...I-"

"It's only dinner Rachel"

"Did my father's put you up to this?"

The boys eyes went wide "What? No! Of course not! I just want to take you out, we could both use some fun. Its not a date Rach, just think of it as two old friends catching up. I haven't seen your beaming smile since high school and I'm really worried about you."

Rachel narrowed her eyes at the boy, he was honestly starting to get on her nerves. "I don't need your pity Finn, I'm fine and perfectly capable of taking care of myself. I don't need anyone worrying about me." Rachel snapped.

"I know you can Rach, i didn't mean it like that! Please just try it for one night. No strings attached i promise" The man pleaded.

"I said i would think about it" Rachel angrily whispered but immediately regretted it at Finn's hurt filled expression. The boy could see the guilt filled chocolate eyes desperately begging him to leave her alone but he couldn't let her wallow in self pity any longer.

Finn recovered quickly and sighed "Are you honestly thinking about it? Or are you just pretending too so i stop hassling you?"

Rachel inhaled a deep breath to try and calm her quickly building annoyance and anger at the man's stubbornness. "I'm really thinking about it. If it makes you feel better, I'll give you an answer by Friday"

Finn grinned in triumph and nodded before leaning forward and almost crushing the tiny brunette in a bear hug. "Great! I look forward to it. I promise you won't regret it"

Rachel opened her mouth to tell the boy she hadn't agreed yet but he was already out the door before she could respond. She sighed heavily and made her way back to her desk. The brunette looked around the classroom and smiled warmly at the children before taking a seat and preparing the tasks that were scheduled for the day.

Exactly ten minutes before class was set to being, a small brunette finally made her way into class and toward the oblivious teacher who was skimming through her notes. Rachel paid no mind to the excited chatter in the room, her thoughts were only interrupted when someone slid a note onto her desk. Rachel's eyebrows furrowed at the sudden intrusion, she unfolded the note as her eyes began to decipher the message that was typed onto the light yellow sheet of paper. It wasn't anything special, it just notified Rachel that she would be having a new student in her class.

The brunette diverted her gaze toward the small figure staring up at her and smiled. "Hello, what's your name?" As soon as Rachel got a closer look at the girl who had been previously occupying the hallway, her heart beat picked up rapidly as her eyes took in the familiar facial features. . Before her mind could try and process who the girl reminded her of, the eerie feeling had vanished as quickly as it had hit her.

The little girl met her teachers eyes as she nervously began to fidget with the hem of her shirt. "E-Emily, Emily Michaels".

Rachel continued to smile encouragingly at the little girl in hopes of calming her down. "Its very nice to meet you Emily, My name is Miss Berry and I'll be your teacher. Would you like to introduce yourself to everyone?"

Emily's eyes widened in fear as she shyly shook her head. Not wanting to scare the child on her first day, Rachel assigned her a seat and paired her up with one of the friendlier girls in class.

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The day went by without any major incidents; Emily seemed to be fitting in pretty well with the other children. The little girl was mostly quiet and kept to herself, but that was already expected because the tiny brunette was still getting use to her new surroundings.

When the day came to an end, the kids excitedly rushed out of the room to meet their parents, Rachel made her way outside to greet the adults and make sure no-one was left behind. When the school was almost completely empty, Rachel turned around to make her way back inside. Her eyes fell upon her new student, standing by a tree, outside the school gate. The older brunette cautiously approached the tiny girl who jumped when Rachel bent down to greet her.

Not knowing how to react to the fear in the little girls eyes, Rachel subtly backed away to give the child more room. "I'm sorry if i scared you Emily" she softly spoke in hopes of not scaring her again." I just wanted to know if you wanted to wait inside until your parents got here?"

Emily shook her head before diverting her gaze to her feet. The tiny brunette kicked around some rocks before finally replying. "It's okay Miss Berry, my mom's on her way now"

Rachel slowly nodded "Would you like me to wait with you until she gets here"

Emily once again shook her head at Rachel's suggestion. "No Miss Berry, its okay you can go inside".

Not wanting to make the girl uncomfortable, Rachel softly smiled and said her goodbyes as she walked out of sight. The older brunette watched in the distance as a black Mercedes with tinted windows pulled up to the curb. Her eyebrows shot up in curiosity as Emily huffed before making her way toward the parked vehicle and stepping inside.

Rachel craned her neck trying to get a visual of the driver but had no such luck. The door closed and the car quickly drove away and out of sight.

The brunette shivered when a cold breeze hit her as she walked back to the small school building. Her mind started to wander back to that eerie feeling of De Javu that she had experienced earlier that morning with Emily. Maybe the little girl just reminded her of a celebrity? Surely she didn't know anyone with the last name Michael's so nothing really made any sense. Rachel mentally shook her head and dismissed all her lingering thoughts of the little girl.

Maybe Finn was right? She clearly needed to get out more...

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**Continue?...Yes?...No?  
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**If you didn't like it then please feel free to also voice your opinions, i don't mind a few insults lol **

**Don't worry ill still love you :)  
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	2. Chapter 2

**Ask and you shall receive... **

**Thank you so much for reviewing, It makes me want to continue this story because it shows that you actually want to read it :)**

**Hope i don't disappoint in this chapter!**

**Dont own glee or any of its characters.**

**Sorry for any errors you find...All mistakes are mine.  
**

**Enjoy! :)**

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Weeks went by with Rachel's curiosity further increasing. During classes, the brunette would subtly study the little girls actions in hopes of finding some more clues but in return only ended up even more confused. Emily still mostly kept to herself but as the days went on she would smile more often and talk a little bit more than she had the previous day.

It was a beautiful Monday morning when Rachel finally decided to start looking for some answers instead of lazing around asking complicated questions. Before she dismissed class, Emily was asked to stay back. The little girl had a panicked look on her face when Rachel motioned for her to stay behind. Emily watched the rest of her class leave before eyeing her teacher worriedly.

Rachel chuckled lightly at the scared girl who probably believed she was in some sort of trouble. "Don't worry Emily, you're not in any trouble. I just wanted to check up on you and see what you think of your classes so far"

The young brunette visibly relaxed before meeting her teachers eyes. "Oh... They're great Miss Berry. Much better than my other school"

Finally, Rachel had found an opening and perfect opportunity to sneakily get some answers. "Really? Which school did you attend previously?"

Emily pursed her lips and thought of her answer carefully before replying. "I went to a private school in California"

Rachel nodded and smiled as she processed the new information. Private schools meant that her parents were most likely very wealthy. Maybe someone she met on Broadway while she was living in New York? No, that couldn't be right because Emily clearly stated that she was from California. Again, Rachel was left completely baffled.

"California is a beautiful place. Are your parents originally from there?" she pressed on further.

Emily tilted her head while she contemplated her answer. As soon as the little girl's teeth clung onto her bottom lip, a whole new rush of De javu hit the older brunette. "Just my dad" she stated simply.

Rachel dumbly nodded again trying desperately to cling on-to the feeling long enough to get some answers. Just like the first time, it had vanished into thin air once again. It took every ounce of strength Rachel had not to stomp her foot in frustration in front of the little girl. "Oh that's great, is your mother from around here?"

Emily's eyebrows furrowed in concentration as she diverted her eyes toward her desk. "I don't know? Maybe?" she asked almost panicking. "My mom doesn't really like to talk about it".

Sensing the girls anxiety, Rachel decided to change the subject and cut things short before the young child fainted. "Im glad you're enjoying yourself Emily, please don't hesitate to talk to me if you need anything" she softly smiled at the girl whom released a breath of air.

"I Will, Thank you Rach-Ms Berry"

Rachel's eyes widened almost painfully as the girl realised her mistake and froze. Her already pale features, at this point almost ghost white. None of the children knew the teachers by their first names, so how was it possible that this girl who had been in her class for a mere 3 weeks did?

Rachel stopped gaping at the child long enough to ask the million dollar question. "H-How do you know my first name Emily?"

The girl in question was at this point shaking and shuffling her feet uncomfortably as she painfully swallowed the lump in her throat. "I-I've seen you on Tv Ms Berry."

The loud gasp that escaped the older woman's mouth was enough to startle them both. "Tv? How did you know?" she questioned, still in shock. The last thing Rachel needed was a reminder of her glory days, no matter how long it had been, the scars were still very raw and painful.

Emily diverted her gaze before continuing "My mom has the spring awakening DVD, It's my favourite" shyly she looked up at Rachel, who was already on the verge of a nervous breakdown. "I'm sorry for making you sad Ms Berry, please don't cry"

The older woman recovered and plastered on a fake smile as to not further startle the young girl. "You didn't make me sad Emily, You can go join your friends and have lunch now. Thank you for answering my questions" she gripped onto her desk tightly, desperately willing her tears not to fall. She didn't want to cry anymore.

The tiny girl kept her head down as she nodded and made her way out of class. When the door closed behind her, Rachel heavily dropped into her chair as her shaking hands sheltered her face. The woman's chest heaved as she tried to control her breathing. It had already been four years of non-stop tears, she wouldn't allow herself to cry again.

Rachel Berry, Broadway star was dead. No amount of tears, cussing or depression would ever bring her back. Her eyes stung as she forbid herself from any means of emotional relief. The brunette held the pencil on her desk in a death grip before she snapped it in half, hoping the action would help ease some of her anguish. When all the pencils on her desk had been shattered and the unbearable pain still growing in her chest to torment her, Rachel violently jerked out of her chair, sending the object flying into the blackboard with a heavy thud. The noise echoing off the abused timber temporarily distracted her before she sped up her pace and raced out of the building and toward her car.

Rachel drove around aimlessly trying to calm down. It wasn't Emily's fault; the little girl surely didn't know anything about the tragedy. The girl proved to be a successful distraction for the older brunette as she slowly felt the pain subside.

Millions of unanswered questions clung to Rachel's mind like a disease; Why is she so familiar? Who does she remind me of? Why the hell does this even bother me so much? Rachel's eye brows furrowed in concentration before a blinding grin spread across her face. She hazardously swerved her car around in the middle of the street and sped back to school, not caring that she was probably late for class anyway.

Almost breaking her car door in her haste to get out of her parked vehicle, the brunette sprinted into the building and made her way to the reception area. It came as no surprise when it was completely empty. Rachel grinned again before charging toward the cabinet where all the files were held. Her eyes skimmed through the hundreds of folders before she reached the one that had bought her there in the first place.

"Emily Michaels" she unconsciously whispered out loud before triumphantly grasping the file and ripping it open. She took in a deep breath to steady her excitement as she opened it, carefully memorising every word as if it were the key to unlocking the world's greatest secret. The brunette's rapidly beating heart dropped almost instantly in her disappointment. This time is sped up as her anger and frustration grew. She carelessly flung the file across the room and left before anyone saw the mess she had created.

The words ran through her mind as she made her way to the class she was already 20 minutes late for.

"_**Mothers Name: Melissa Michaels Fathers Name: Bradley Michaels"**_

It seemed that the more information she unlocked, the more confused she became. When her mind came within a flimsy fraction closer to figuring something out, the thought rapidly vanished leaving her with aggravating frustration. Emily reminded her too much of someone she knew so why was everything so difficult to figure out?

The brunette drifted through the rest of the day by plastering on fake smiles and happiness. All her years of acting lessons and the short time she spent on Broadway were really starting to pay off. Deceiving people around her was vital in Rachel's survival. Their sad glances and remorseful eyes only made things worse in the end. The last thing Rachel needed was constant reminder of everything she had lost.

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Immense relief washed over her as she stepped through her apartment door. Almost immediately, she collapsed onto the couch, desperately trying to clear her mind in order to get some well needed rest. Truthfully, Rachel hadn't really slept in years because the nightmares came every single time she closed her eyes. They were less traumatising in times like these, when the brunette was so badly worn down that she collapsed and fell into a restless coma.

It felt like a minute had passed when she jolted awake, hand gripping her heart as her ringtone blasted through the empty apartment. Instantly, she fought back the urge to throw the device against the wall when she saw the caller ID.

"Yes Finn?" she asked impatiently, fingers almost pressing down on the "end" button.

"Hey Rach!" the cheery man child greeted, obviously ignoring her annoyed tone.

"Look Finn, i really don't have time to talk so..."

"Wait Rach!" he screamed through her speakers.

"What do you want Hudson?" she snapped impatiently while holding her phone in a death grip, trying to snap the thing in half.

"Can you come to the bar? It's really important!" he desperately pleaded.

Rachel rolled her eyes wanting nothing more than to end the call and get some rest. "Why?" she asked eventually, curiosity winning the silent internal argument.

"I'll tell you when you get here, I'm in alot of trouble so please hurry"

The brunette huffed in annoyance and hung up on him before grabbing her coat and walking out the front door. The bar was only a few blocks away from her apartment so it didn't take long for her to get there. The walk actually relaxed her a little.

"YOU MADE IT!" The boy yelled, instantly making several heads turn toward the pair. The giant man hugged her tightly before dragging them toward the bar.

"Why am i here Finn? You better be dying" she asked annoyed

"Oh...I just missed you...you unsurprisingly ditched me again so i had to take matters into my own hands" he shrugged as Rachel shot death glares at him.

When he continued to stupidly smile at her she punched him in the ribs effectively silencing his rant about how unfair she was being. The brunette grinned as he moved further away from her to avoid future attacks.

A few drinks later, they had fallen into an easy conversation. Finn was bragging about something Rachel was whole heartedly ignoring. "Rach are you listening to me?"

Rachel looked at him contemplating whether to lie but decided against it in order to ignore him again. "Finn can i ask you something?"

The boy nodded slowly as his brows furrowed "Sure?"

"Who does Emily remind you of?" Rachel figured that if someone as intelligent as herself couldn't figure it out then maybe someone with the IQ of a monkey would have a better shot.

"Emily? Whos that?" Finn asked confused.

Rachel rolled her eyes at the boys dimness before she remembered that Finn actually didn't know the girls name. "Emily is the girl you saw standing outside my class a few weeks ago"

The man's eyebrows shot up in thought before his eyes widened "Ohhh Ummm she does kinda remind me of Dakota Fanning"

Rachel snorted and took another sip of her drink before slapping his arm "Your an idiot" she stated before downing the rest of her cranberry vodka and grabbing her coat.

"Wait! Where are you going? You just got here!" Finn whined.

"It's late and I've been here for an hour. I have to pick up some groceries before I head home" Rachel ignored his pleading and made her way toward the exit. She walked the short distance to the grocery store, immensely relieved that she had gotten away from Finn and his endless chatter.

The store was mostly vacant when she walked in. The cashier smiled at her as she passed him, directly heading toward the Vegan products. The soft music playing in the background made her visibly cringe. Rachel Absolutely hated music and anything to do with it. The brunette busied herself by reading labels on the food packaging and was successful in the diversion until she heard soft humming from the other side of the isle.

Usually she would have ignored it but she knew that voice. It was so familiar that it transported her mind back to high school. She snapped out of her daze as the humming started to fade. Her feet unconsciously carried her toward the retreating sound, trying to make some sense of why it had triggered high school memories. Maybe it was the song? That could possibly be the reason because Rachel didn't know that song nor did she care to try and identify it. The only thing her mind registered was the once familiar calmness that voice brought her.

Her eyes travelled toward the cash register where the figure was standing. A presence so familiar yet equally as foreign that it made sense to only confuse her again. The brunette studied the person in the distance as they made small talk with the cashier while the boy scanned the groceries.

Old and forgotten memories flashed through Rachel's mind as her eyes scanned the mysterious figure. She angled her head to get a better look at their profile but regretted it immediately when the person's identity became clear.

Rachel closed her eyes and opened them again to be met with the same horrific sight. Her mind was surely playing games to punish her for its abuse the last couple of days because there honestly was no fucking way that this was even possible...

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	3. Chapter 3

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**Sorry for any errors you find.**

**I don't own glee unfortunately...bla bla bla  
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"No No No No" Rachel repeated like a mantra, desperately trying to regain control of her failed attempts at breathing. The person she was still gaping at with wide eyes must have felt someone burning holes into the back of their head but miraculously, still did not turn around.

Rachel held onto a nearby shelf for support as her knees buckled several times under her suddenly heavy body. Her frail arms trembled in shock and her eyes bulged almost comically out of her skull. All traces of time were lost until Rachel's orbs followed the person as they paid for the food and walked toward the exit.

"Oh god, please let this be a bad dream" she whispered almost inaudibly to herself as she slowly began to regain control of her limbs. Once she felt that it was safe enough to walk again without collapsing, her feet trailed helplessly behind the mysterious person.

Rachel's body was still impossibly heavy and tipsy from the alcohol she had consumed at the bar so running at this point would just be foolish. The last thing she needed was for the person to discover she had been stalking them for the last ten minutes. Her eyes followed the figure's every move like a hawk stalking its prey. Rachel's mind was paralysed from utter confusion as her eyes constantly trailed every inch of the individual, still not quiet comprehending the situation.

Just as the adult walked through the exit doors, Rachel sped up her pace only to be broken out of her spell by the checkout boy. "Excuse me Miss Berry? You have to pay for that..." he motioned toward the organic strawberries she had grasped in her hand. The brunette's head snapped toward the boy as her eyes focused on his face. She shook her head and looked down at her hands before slightly blushing at the thought of shoplifting. "Sorry" she mumbled under her breath before handing the goods over to him. He smiled politely at her and she returned it, not wanting to seem rude.

The boy opened his mouth to say something but didn't get a chance to express the words as Rachel's mind rapidly cleared and was violently attacked by what had just taken place with the mysterious figure. The brunette scolded herself for the missed opportunity before stomping her foot and clumsily running out the door. The boy stared after her in shock as she mumbled incoherent curse words under her breath.

Once successfully outside, the brunette searched the area like a mad woman. Her eyes opened wide to scan every inch and movement around her. The darkness made it exceptionally hard to see anything in the distance which in return triggered several types of panic within the girl. Rachel's fears not only consisted of losing the person of interest but also triggered back horrific memories of her past.

After several minutes of eerie silence, the darkness, loneliness, fear, anguish and adrenaline pumping through her veins caused her to fall to her knees and scream in sheer panic. The striking similarities of the situation resulting in horrific pain manifested and coursed itself throughout her entire being. Familiar feelings of helplessness, agony and loss tore at her scars, causing them to ache within a shallow pit of burning fire that was now her empty heart. Of course, no-one could hear or save her this time either.

Rachel's sobbing was briefly interrupted when bright lights blinded her vision. The brunette reflexively shielded her eyes for a split second before the beam vanished. In an instant her now sore orbs re-opened to scan the blurry area but was only met with a disoriented flash of a dark vehicle speeding toward the parking lot exit. The sound of tyres screeching was enough to shock her out of her panicked state as she shakily rose to her feet. Her eyes focused on the quickly evaporating vehicle as her legs shook uncontrollably under her weight.

This time, her mind made sense of something. Rachel knew that car and there was no mistake or question in her mind when she identified it as the same expensive Mercedes that belonged to Emily's parents. Surely no-one else drove a car like that in Lima. The vehicle was customised with shiny rims, tinted windows and extra nitro for speed. Why did they need extra speed? Not like there was anywhere to race around here without getting caught.

As the brunette walked home, she contemplated whether or not she was going insane. First she stupidly consumed alcohol, then her drunken mind created a mirage of the person she hated most and if that wasn't enough, the evening resulted in a meltdown in public. Clearly she had mistaken Emily's mother for someone she use to know. A bright light made its presence known in Rachel's mind as she smiled triumphantly.

Emily and her mother reminded her of a person she loathed. Rachel thought she had been going crazy when in fact she was being overly dramatic. Emily parents were strangers to the brunette so nothing else was logical. The only acceptable explanation after her encounter with the mysterious figure was that Rachel had been intoxicated and hallucinating. Yes, finally the puzzle had been solved. Rachel didn't understand why she had blown everything up into such epic proportions, her father's would surely be proud of the signs of craziness she previously displayed because that was truly the most 'Rachel Berry' thing she had done in years.

Rachel crashed down on her bed with her mind finally at ease; the emotional breakdown had taken a heavy toll on the brunette's body. Much to Rachel's relief and for the first time in years, she fell into a dreamless slumber.

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When the sun made it presence known through her window at approximately the same time her alarm went off, Rachel awoke with a groan. Warmth trailed across her exposed limbs as her eyes opened lazily to inspect the sight before her. The sun represented warmth, happiness and promise which is exactly why the brunette despised it. Mentally berating herself for not closing the blinds last night, she made her way toward the shower to get ready for school.

The brunette power walked through the school car-park with a content smile on her face. Not only had the torturous puzzle been solved but the previous night of pleasant sleep had done wonders for her body. Rachel greeted the other staff members with a genuine cheery grin. Not like any of them noticed the change, No-one knew that all her previous appearances of being happy were merely false pretenses.

The morning went by pleasantly apart from her constantly trying not to look at Emily so she wouldn't go all 'Old Rachel Berry' insane again. The older brunette even miraculously volunteered to stay guard in playground duty during lunch to keep an eye on the children. While she ate her homemade vegan pasta, Rachel allowed herself a quick glance at the younger brunette and smiled when she saw her excitedly playing with her friends on the swings.

15 minutes until lunch ended and things seemed to be going pleasantly. She was watching the kids play tag when she felt someone tap her wrist. Rachel looked down with a smile in which automatically lost some of its flare when she noticed it was Emily. The tiny girl stared up at her nervously before holding out a DVD cover. Rachel curiously gazed down at it before her heart rapidly started abusing her chest.

"C-Can i please have your autograph Ms Berry?" The hopeful look Emily's eyes was enough to make Rachel swallow her pain and plaster on a flattered smile.

"Of course you can!" she exaggerated with false cheer.

The little girl beamed wildly in return as Rachel hesitantly autographed the cover with shaking hands. The name she etched upon the plastic seeming foreign and strange even to her own eyes.

She wasn't Rachel Berry anymore; the brunette was nothing more than Rachel the tragedy. The older woman knew it wasn't fair to deny the child some happiness but her emotions betrayed her once again. She handed back the now clumsily signed cover to the giddy girl barely comprehending the 'thank you' she received in return.

Rachel watched the girl happily skip toward her backpack and pushed any more feelings of déjà vu away. Finally tearing her gaze away from Emily, she blankly scanned the playground for any signs of conflict, the older brunette was determined not to let her personal life interfere with her responsibilities as a teacher.

In the minute she had ignored the tiny girls presence, a deafening screamed echoed across the playground. Rachel instinctively turned around and made her way toward the crowd that had gathered around the injured child. The older woman's eyes widened when they focused on a crying Emily, whom was now clutching her forearm.

Rachel rushed toward the girl and cradled her into her arms, trying to calm her down. "Ms Berry, It hurts!" she sobbed into her teachers neck. Panic soared through the older woman's body as she gently lifted the girl off the hard concrete.

"oh my god, Emily what happened?" she asked in her panicked state.

"I tripped" the girl sobbed harder.

"I'm taking her to the hospital, I think she's broken her arm" Rachel yelled at the other staff members who watched on and nodded furiously in agreement.

Rachel rushed them to the hospital, still trying to calm the pained girl down. Thankfully Lima was small and the roads were mostly deserted at this hour so they got there in record time.

Rachel furiously demanded help as soon as they got through the doors, she rushed around barking orders at nurses and doctors while Emily clung to her side. Thankfully, the doctor was scared of the fuming teacher and instantly took the younger girl in to examine the damage.

"Rachel? Honey is everything okay?" The girl in questions turned around to face her worried father.

"Hey Dad! Don't worry I'm fine. One of my students fell and I think she broke her arm!" the words came out rushed and frenzied but her father smiled at her anyway. "Please go and check on her? I don't like Dr Andrews very much" Luckily for Rachel, her father was the head surgeon and had the power to do anything.

The older man chuckled before agreeing and walking toward the ward. Rachel nervously waited outside and jumped up as soon as he returned. "How is she?" The brunette demanded.

"She's fine honey" The man softly assured his nervous daughter. "It's just a broken arm and we've given her some medication for the pain. The cast is being put on as we speak"

Rachel breathed a heavy sigh of relief before hugging her father tightly. The man smiled adoringly at his daughter before his pager sounded. "Sorry honey, I have to go but please call me if you need anything" Rachel nodded and watched as he left before grabbing her phone to notify the school.

"EMILY!"A shriek sounded throughout the whole floor as Rachel's blood ran cold.

"Emily Michaels" it yelled more frantically this time. Rachel could hear the frightened receptionist give her directions before footsteps quickly shuffled forward. Rachel watched in complete shock and horror as memories of last night's encounter assaulted her mind.

That voice was here again, but this time there was absolutely no way she could dismiss it. The brunette leaned against the cold wall frantically searching for a way out. Before her feet could shuffle her body out of sight, a flash of blond hair appeared in front of her.

The familiar panicked eyes widened as they took in a highly distraught Rachel. The brunette shut her eyes tightly, willing herself to wake up from this nightmare but the heavy breathing on the opposite side of the room only heightened her senses.

None of this made any sense. How the hell was _she_ involved with Emily? Why was she back in Lima? Why the fuck did the school call _her_ and not Emily's parents? Out of the people in the world why did she have to cross paths with _her_ again?

Rachel cautiously opened her eyes and felt all the air being knocked out of her. Her Jaw clenched painfully as her grip on reality ceased. She was right last night, Rachel had not been hallucinating. That thought bought her immense anger instead of relief. She would honestly rather be going crazy then have to share the same air with _her _again. The struggling brunette's head pounded with more confusion as her heart collided repeatedly with her chest in psychotic anger.

Before blackness claimed her vision, the last whispered words on her lips escaped in an enraged breath_ "Quinn Fucking Fabray"_

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**Still confused?**

**All will eventually be revealed but in the meantime let me know what you think is gonna happen, i would love to read your predictions!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Did i mention how much i love you guys? Your predictions were pretty awesome so keep them coming!  
**

**Okay I'm gonna warn you now, this chapter is quite angsty so i apologize in advance. **

**Remember that Rachel is really bitter at this point and you'll soon find out why. Dont worry, Faberry will get together eventually :)**

**Thank you for reading and a special shout out to all my reviewers, you guys are amazing!**

**Hope you like this chapter.**

**Sorry for any spelling errors or mistakes you find.**

**I dont own glee but you all knew that...**

**Enjoy! :)**

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Rachel awoke to a soft warmth and presence supporting her weight. "Rachel! Are you okay? Should I call a doctor?"

That voice was enough to make the brunette violently jerk back into consciousness. The pounding in her head was long forgotten as volatile anger burned in the pit of her stomach. "Shut up! Don't fucking touch me Fabray!" The words were spoken with such malice and coldness that Rachel herself felt a chill go down her own spine.

Thankfully Quinn complied and slowly backed away from the fuming brunette. Rachel slowly sunk to the floor while she cradled her throbbing head in her hands. When the pain was slightly bearable she opened her eyes and was met with wounded hazel orbs.

"Rach-"

"Don't fucking call me that!" the brunette spat angrily. "Don't you remember? My name is either Treasure trail, Ru-paul, Manhands, Midget or Berry" she sneered at the blond who visibly cringed at the insults. Rachel glared up at Quinn who was now staring at her with sorrowful eyes. Millions of questions hung in the air between the two women but after staring down the blond for a few minutes, Rachel finally spoke again. "What the hell are you doing here?" It was more a demand than a question.

Quinn gaped at her for a few seconds before diverting her gaze to the floor and clearing her throat. Luckily for the blond, they were both interrupted when the doctor called for their attention. "Mrs Michaels?" the doctor asked while looking at Quinn.

The blond hesitated for a moment before looking toward Rachel and eventually nodding. The brunette's eyebrows furrowed in confusion but any snide comments died in her throat when Emily came into view and ran toward Quinn. "Mommy!" the little girl screamed while almost tackling the blond to the floor.

Quinn smiled while she ran her fingers through her daughter's hair. "Hey baby" she cooed "Are you okay?"

Emily nodded before excitedly yapping about her cast. Quinn laughed along while Rachel narrowed her eyes and shot daggers at the oblivious blond. Not wanting to ruin the happy moment for the little girl, Rachel made eye contact with the doctor before nodding and silently creeping away.

When she was finally out of sight, her fists clenched tightly as she tried to maintain her cool.

Quinn Fabray, the person she would rather die than see again was back in Lima. Out of everyone at Mckinley, that bitch had to be the one to come back. Pain filled memories of high school clogged the brunette's brain while rueful tears cascaded down her cheeks. The darkest thing after New York had been staring at her just moments earlier and Rachel had left herself show weakness.

The brunette clung to her steering wheel for dear life while dangerously speeding to her apartment. The nicknames, the slushies, the insults and the put-downs crashed down on the sobbing girl like a tonne of bricks. Just when the brunette thought she had taken a step forward, something like this happened and set her back a hundred.

_Quinn Fabray, _the one solely responsible for every one of Rachel's insecurities was back in Lima, looking much more beautiful than the brunette could remember. Not only was she perfect, she was apparently wealthy, married and had a beautiful daughter. Realization that Quinn had always been right dawned on Rachel as exact words floated through her clouded mind.

Rachel was a failure with broken dreams and shattered soul while Quinn Fabray was still stunningly attractive with a perfect life and had accomplished everything she had set out to do.

Rachel hated Quinn with every fibre of her being.

The brunette hastily parked her car before running up to her apartment and heading straight toward her bedroom. The doors were slammed shut as Rachel's spent body dropped to the mattress and clung on to her pillow like it could take her sorrows away; Muffled sobs filled the empty room while her tiny body fought to grasp control of her emotions.

Rachel promised herself she would never let them hurt her again yet here she was almost on the verge of throwing up as desolate screams wreaked havoc on her fragile being. The old Rachel would have held her head high and walked away with a plastered smile but this new girl was too weak. Years of repressed emotion and tears had taken its toll on her so she helplessly cried just like the first day of high school. Rachel cried until her body ran out of tears. She lay there sobbing and cussing the world while waterless mourning damaged her further.

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Day eventually turned into night until the brunette's body finally shut down. Nightmares filled her subconsciousness until she awoke from her own horrified scream. Jolting awake after the fifth time that night, Rachel gave up on sleep and slumped down on the couch to watch some TV. The digital clock read 3:44am as she shifted through meaningless channels; she settled on a classical movie and shifted until she was comfortable. Half an hour into the film, Rachel completely dozed off and didn't wake until her phone rang loudly from across the room.

Gritting her teeth, the brunette reluctantly moved from her position and silenced the annoying device. "Fucking Steve Jobs" she mumbled under her breath while tossing her iphone carelessly across the floor. Rachel peered up at the clock from under her heavy eyelids and gasped at the time. She was an hour late to class. Tossing on the cleanest cloths she could find and barely touching up her make-up, the girl ran out the door, not even bothering to conceal her tear stained appearance.

Staff members looked at her sympathetically but didn't say anything in regard to her fragile state in fears of further upsetting the girl. Rachel steadied herself while stealthily walking through the halls to her classroom. Taking a deep breath and plastering on the fakest smile she could contain, the teacher burst through the doors looking apologetically at her surprised students. The children smiled easily at her in understanding as she looked over her notes and snapped back into teacher mode, professionally carrying on with the lesson.

Days went by since the confrontation with Quinn and Rachel still couldn't believe it had actually happened. Pretending no such thing had taken place was surprisingly easy for the brunette, much to her relief and sanity. Things seemed to be going back to normal as old wounds were pushed to re-heal in the dark confines of her mind.

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Her walls were up stronger than ever until that maddening voice interrupted her content state while she was grading work after school. Rachel's jaw instantly clenched as her posture stiffened almost like she used to when shielding herself from a slushy shower.

"Rach—Miss Berry?" Quinn asked hesitantly after covering up her mistake.

Rage started manifesting itself through the brunette's veins as she reluctantly turned her gaze toward the door. Leaning against the doorframe was a very nervous looking blond. "What do you want 'Mrs Michaels?" Rachel sarcastically asked.

Quinn looked taken back by the title but quickly recovered by slowly stepping inside the room. Her pale hands were placed limply by her sides as her teeth abused the tender skin on her lips. "Can we talk?" the words were almost a whisper but made Rachel stiffen again.

"No, get out" The brunette calmly stated while her eyes traced the letters on the paper placed on her desk.

In her peripheral vision she saw the blond shake her head. "Not until you listen to me" Quinn softly pleaded. "Please Rachel, you won't ever have to see me again after this"

The words were like magic to her ears and she immediately snapped her head toward the desperate girl to see if she was being serious. "If you haven't already noticed, your voice makes me want to punch something so hurry the fuck up and explain before i change my mind"

Quinn again looked shocked at the brunette's ability to curse. "Wow i didn't know you swore" she gently spoke.

Rachel laughed sadistically before roughly throwing her pen on her desk and leaning back in false amusement. "Firstly, you didn't know anything about me to being with so stop pretending like you did. Secondly the girl you knew back then Is long gone."

Quinn raised her eyebrow before stubbornly disagreeing "No she isn't"

Rachel snorted. "Didn't you hear Quinnie?" the brunette taunted."Rachel Berry died four years ago in New York" her voice was thick with malice and disturbing amusement.

Quinn clenched her fists in remorse and turned her head away from the brunette who was now looking at her with complete bitterness. "Rachel, I'm so sorry" she shakily whispered.

All traces of emotion were dead when Rachel spoke again. "Sorry for what? Sorry for your failed attempts at breaking me all throughout high school? Sorry because they got to me first? Or are you sorry that you weren't there to stare at me and laugh when it happened?" by the end of the sentence Rachel was almost shouting as she stood from her chair, anger burning in her once forgiving eyes.

"Oh god...I'm so so sorry for all the pain I caused you, I didn't mean any of the things I done to you, Please Rachel you have to believe me! I was a selfish and scared child. My actions have led me to nothing but remorse and regret ever since the day I graduated" Quinn covered her mouth to silence the sobs that were threatening to escape every passing minute she took in Rachel's broken appearance.

"You're remorseful?" Rachel evilly laughed "what are you so remorseful and regretful of huh? Oh wait don't answer that, I already know" The brunette took a threatening step toward Quinn who was trying in vain not to cry at this point. "Hmmm is it because you made me the laughing stock of the school? No...That can't be it...Maybe it's because of that rumor you spread in junior year about me and my "gay" family have aids so everyone would be scared to touch or befriend me...OH NO wait, I think I finally got it! Your 'Pain' is caused because of that incident in senior year right? Remember? How you cornered me in the auditorium at lunch and kissed me. Then turned around and told the whole school that I had tried to sexually harass you in the bathroom. Is that it Quinn? Did I finally get it right? because you know that last one almost landed me in hospital"

Rachel was breathing heavily and shaking with anger. Quinn opened her mouth to speak but could only manage to uncontrollably weep until she started hyperventilating. "Oh God" she hiccuped between breaths before she ran out of the door, leaving an equally upset brunette behind.

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**Did you hate the angst or enjoy it?  
**

**I have a feeling plenty of you hate me right now lol**


	5. Chapter 5

**I'm so relieved most of you liked the angst!**

**Personally, i think it wouldn't be realistic if Rachel forgave Quinn so easily, specially after everything she put her through.  
**

**It takes time to heal and forgive people, which is why things are bumpy with them right now. **

**Don't worry you fluff junkies, you'll get your turn too! :)**

**Hope this chapter explains some lingering questions you have regarding Quinn BUT you wont find out what happened to Rachel right away...Sorry! i know its killing you not knowing but it will all be worth it in the end :)**

**Hope you enjoy this chapter and I'm sorry in advance if i don't update tomorrow.**

**Thank you so much for reading and specially to those who review! you guys are my motivation!**

**Sorry for any mistakes you find.**

**I Don't own glee or any of it's characters.  
**

**Enjoy!  
**

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Rachel in all honesty thought that hurting Quinn just a fraction of what she felt in high school would make her feel better. Unfortunately for the brunette it had managed to do the complete opposite. Rachel sat on the hard timber floor of her apartment with her back against the couch. It had been two weeks since Quinn's tear streamed face had run out of her classroom and the brunette had been thinking about it ever since.

Rachel felt guilty. She had taken her dislike for the blond and magnified it a hundred times more because she needed someone to blame. It wasn't as though Quinn was innocent but Rachel had let herself get carried away in the heat of the moment.

The brunette had been cursed with bad luck her whole life. Tormented by her peers and being robbed of her dream just when she had been given a taste of happiness, left no room for anything but animosity in her life. The girl had dedicated her whole life to something people told her she could never achieve. Just when she started to prove everyone wrong, it was all taken away from her in a split second. Rachel had gone through a hard and painful journey that had only resulted in more damage in the end. No-one could ever understand what she had been through nor did she wish anyone would.

Rachel lazily peered up at her clock in the living room; she had exactly an hour to get ready for the parent-teacher conference. The chances of Quinn going were very slim but Rachel promised to stop harshly attacking her if she decided to show up. The blond looked remorseful for her actions and even though Rachel still couldn't forgive her, she would at least try to tolerate her for Emily's sake.

Rachel made it to school on time where she kindly spoke to each of the parents. Three exhaustingly boring hours later and the brunette was more than ready to head home. Just as she was packing up, movement across the room startled her. Without notifying the intruder that she was aware of their presence, the brunette quickly moved to grab her pepper spray but lost her footing and landed on the floor with a loud thud.

"Oh my gosh! Are you okay?"

Rachel's head snapped toward the familiar voice as she quickly rose to her feet. "Quinn? What the hell!" she hissed as pain soared through her now bruised hip.

"I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you... I had to wait until everybody left" The blond looked at her apologetically with something similar to fear in her eyes. Quinn probably thought Rachel would scream at her again.

The brunette sighed as she took a seat at her desk in silence and waited. A few minutes passed with Quinn standing there confused "Are you going to stand there all day?" Rachel asked impatiently.

The blonds' eyes widened in realisation before she hesitantly took a seat opposite the teacher. "So Emily...?"

Rachel rolled her eyes before stifling a yawn and studying her nails in a bored manner. "Emily is great, she's already topping the class" she looked toward Quinn who was softly smiling at the information. "Now why are you really here? if it's to say sorry again then you might as well leave now"

Quinn's mouth dropped open at the harshness in the brunette's voice but she cleared her throat and moved on. "I know i promised to leave you alone last time...but you didn't really give me a chance to talk"

Rachel raised an eyebrow at the blonds' statement "Yeah well not like I owed you anything"

Quinn diverted her gaze to her lap in guilt. "I know I'm not allowed to apologize but I just hope you understand how much I regret it, even if you can't forgive me"

Rachel momentarily narrowed her eyes at the remorseful girl. The last thing she needed to hear was another person say sorry. She didn't understand how people could apologize for something they could never comprehend. Sorry would never fix anything; it was just a constant reminder of what she could never have again. "Okay I'm going to stop you there before this blows up into another argument. Lets get to the point shall we?" Quinn hesitantly met Rachel's curious eyes again before nodding. "So why are you here and what do you want?"

The blond inhaled a deep breath before biting her lip. "Before I ask, I'm aware that I have no right to ask you for any favours but-"

"Get to the damn point Fabray!" the brunette snapped impatiently, she was already exhausted from listening to people talk all day.

Quinn internally flinched at the use of her real last name. "Right...Rachel, you can't tell anyone that I'm here"

This immediately caught the brunette's attention. Said girl casually leaned forward in her chair to get a closer look at the struggling blond. "Why not?" Rachel asked tauntingly.

Quinn looked at her with tearful pleading eyes before following the teacher lead and also leaning forward. "Please Rachel...I-I can't talk about it"

The brunette shifted further away not quite liking the unseen sadness in the other girl's expressive hazel orbs. She diverted her gaze to her desk before placing her palms on her desk. "Why did you change your name?"

The question caught Quinn off-guard. The blonds' eyes widened before swallowing thickly but she still didn't respond. "Who are you running from Quinn?" Rachel saw her walls crumbling and quickly acted before Quinn could put them back up. Quinn's face twisted in sadness but Rachel ignored it and pressed on. "If you're not going to tell me why you're back in Lima with a new name then I'm not going to keep your secret."

"Rachel, P-Please D-Don't...No-one can know I'm here, Please!" Quinn begged as stray tears fell down her cheeks.

The brunette's curiosity was killing her at this point so she ignored any signs of pity she felt for the wallowing girl. "Just tell me why you're back in Lima. It doesn't make sense, out of all the places in the world you could go, why did you come back here? I mean isn't it the first place they would look for you?"

Quinn humorlessly laughed "This is the absolute last place anyone would look me for me. Who in their right mind would come back to this hell hole? I have enough money to live a comfortable life anywhere in the world so why would I choose the place I spent my whole life trying to escape?"

Rachel smirked triumphantly "So you admit that you **are** running from something?"

Quinn's eyebrows furrowed in thought. "If I said yes, would drop this and forget you ever saw me?"

Rachel shrugged and completely ignored the question "So what did you do?"

The blond stared at her in shock for a few minutes while trying to figure out if the brunette was being serious "What?"

Rachel smirked again before pulling her chair closer "What did you do? If you're not going to tell me who you're running from then I think I deserve to know what you actually did to cause it"

Quinn gaped at her not quite knowing how to respond.

Rachel huffed before slouching in her chair. "Fine, how about i guess?" Quinn still remained uncomfortably silent. "I'll take that as a yes" the brunette declared with a sadistic smirk. "Hmm let's see, did you rob a bank?"

"No!" the blond exclaimed dumbstruck.

"Did you steal something from the mafia?" Rachel countered almost immediately.

"NO!" Quinn's tone was not amused.

"Damn! Ok...Did you marry a rich old man then rob him of his fortune as soon as he died? Because that would explain it, his angry family could be after you" the brunette placed her index finger on her lips in deep thought.

"RACHEL! NO!" The blonds' face was red with frustration.

"Oh My God! YOU KILLED SOMEONE DIDN'T YOU?" Rachel accused while violently jumping from her chair and pointing a guilty finger in Quinn's face.

The blond abruptly shoved her own chair behind her before stomping toward the wide eyed brunette. "How dare you accuse me of such serious crimes!" she slapped Rachel's hand away "How could you even think I was capable of such things Rachel?" all traces of anger in the blonds' tone were replaced with hurt and confusion.

This time Rachel had the decency to at least look ashamed. "What am I suppose to think when you mysteriously come back to Lima with a different identity and beg me not to tell anyone?"

Quinn backed away and diverted her gaze toward the floor. "Please drop it and forget you ever laid eyes on me. I promise I'll stay out of your way, you won't ever see me again" without another word she was out the door.

Rachel didn't even have time to respond as she heard footsteps quickly disappearing down the hall. "What is she running from?" the brunette asked herself absentmindedly as she ran her fingers through her hair in deep thought. The other girl had made it clear that she hadn't committed any serious crimes so maybe she had been framed? Whatever trouble she had gotten herself into, Rachel knew it was something serious. Who would go to such lengths to change their identity if they weren't in danger?

If Quinn wouldn't tell her then Rachel would just have to find out herself.

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**Things are slowly falling into place...**

**Still Confused?**

**Not Confused?**

**More Confused?**

** I know its frustrating not knowing the whole story right away but it will happen soon i promise :)  
**


	6. Chapter 6

**Bet you thought you weren't getting another chapter today :D**

**Since your all so awesome and I've been building up the suspense, it wouldn't be fair to leave you hanging for so long.  
**

**Thought i would provide you with a longer chapter because i wont be able to update for another two days...**

**Thank you so much for reading and specially to those who review, you guys are all really amazing.**

**This chapter is lighter than the previous ones and it gives you abit of insight into what happened to Quinn after high school, even though its not the full story yet...**

**Really hope you enjoy it because i was really sleepy while i wrote it.**

**Let me know what you guys think! i love hearing your feedback :)**

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Rachel was on a mission to uncover the truth about Quinn. The brunette had been asking around about her all week since she last spoke to the blond but no-one seemed to know anything about what happened to the girl after graduation. The most helpful information Rachel found was that Quinn had gotten married within her first year at college and was now living happily with her husband in Washington.

This peaked the brunette's curiosity but the harder she tried to uncover information, the more questions she couldn't answer. Eventually Rachel gave up trying to ask people around town and decided to target the people whom knew Quinn the most- Her parents.

Under usual circumstances the teacher would have been nervous to speak to the Fabray's but at this point in time she was more anxious and excited to uncover the truth. Rachel made her way toward the residence and gently knocked on the door. The house was enormous and reminded her of a haunted mansion but she pushed those creepy thoughts aside as footsteps headed toward her.

Everyone in Lima knew Russel and Judy Fabray as the kind hearted Christians but Rachel had heard rumours of their cruel and cold antagonising nature. It didn't help their case when the door opened and she was met with a stone faced older version of Quinn. "May i help you?" the lady asked while eyeing the brunette curiously.

Rachel cringed at the older woman's appearance; the lady was either tipsy or medicated. "Hello Mrs Fabray, My name is Rachel Berry, I'm an old friend of Quinn's" The brunette softly smiled at the woman who's face immediately dropped at the mention of her daughter. The look of yearning and sadness on Judy's face did not go unnoticed by the brunette whom was subtlety studying her every move.

After a few moments Judy straightened her posture and collected herself. "Please come in Rachel" the woman ushered her inside before leading her toward the living room and motioning for the brunette to take a seat. A chill ran down Rachel's spine as she casually looked around the house. Not only did it look haunted but it also felt it too. Everything looked expensive and as though it hadn't been touched since it was purchased.

"So you're a friend of Quinn's?" the brunette nodded while shifting uncomfortably in her seat. "How is she?" Judy whispered weakly. Rachel's eyebrows rose in shock not quite knowing how to answer her question. The older woman looked miserable yet hopeful at the same time as she patiently awaited Rachel's answer.

"I actually wanted to ask you the same thing, I haven't seen her since our high school graduation" Rachel laughed trying to lighten up the mood but Judy's face contorted into one of complete sorrow, almost as if the doctor had told her she only had a week to live. Memories of her encounters with Quinn only weeks prior shot through Rachel's mind. Judy's pained expression reminded her of the same ones Quinn had when she had made her cry. Guilt stirred in the pit of her stomach as she turned away from the woman in front of her, not quite understanding why she felt so much remorse.

Rachel at this point was beyond nervous and silently praying that Judy wouldn't have a melt down. "I'm sorry for upsetting you Mrs Fabray, I'll leave if you want me too"

Judy shook her head before wiping her damp eyes. "No its fine, I was just hoping you had heard something from her. I haven't seen Quinn since she got married" Rachel ignored the knot in her stomach when Judy mentioned the marriage. "I tried calling her last year but the number wouldn't work either"

"I'm so sorry to hear that Mrs Fabray, I was hoping to get in contact with Quinn too. I tried asking around but no-one seems to know what happened to her after she left for college"

Judy nodded her head in understanding before clearing her throat "Well as you already know, she left to study law at Yale which was her father's first choice." Rachel silently nodded and waited for the woman to continue. "One of Russel's friends was a well known lecturer there so the man introduced Quinn to his son Mark who was in his final year of studies. The boy was top of his class and quite the charmer so he and Quinn connected right away. Five months later they got engaged and we were invited to their wedding shortly after. Quinn started getting very distant and eventually stopped calling and coming home for the holidays shortly after she and mark married. Last we heard is that she was pregnant with a baby girl."

Judy sniffled and looked at Rachel with complete sadness. The brunette ran her fingers through her hair in deep though as she processed the new information. Why would Quinn rush into marrying a guy she had known for such a short period of time? It surely didn't sound like the Quinn Fabray Rachel used to know. Surely the man was rich but she wouldn't stoop so low would she?

The two women conversed for a while longer before Rachel saw there was no more useful information and excused herself to go home. The brunette promised the older blond that she would contact her if she had any new information which in return caused the woman to shoot her a hopeful smile. Rachel again ignored the guilt at lying to the woman's face and made a mental note to convince Quinn to at least call her worried mother soon.

As she returned to her apartment, Rachel's mind was manipulated with theories which would explain the blond's behaviour. Each time she came up with something plausible, it would be executed and dismissed as ridiculous. Rachel wouldn't be able to sleep if she didn't find out the true story but knowing how she had treated Quinn since her return to Lima surely wouldn't make the blond trust or open up to her in any way.

Rachel had to come up with a fast solution. If she wanted answers then she had to befriend the blond and show her that she was trustworthy. This however would be a very difficult task because not only did Rachel heavily dislike the girl, but the brunette also wasn't sure that she could pull off such an act. Looking at her was in itself a difficult task, talking to her without it blowing up into some sort of argument would prove to be nearly impossible.

Rachel sighed in frustration as she crawled into the comfort of her bed. Firstly she would have to find Quinn but the brunette had no idea where to even start looking for someone who didn't want to be found. Following her car after school wouldn't work because Quinn always disappeared before anyone ever had a chance to see her pick up Emily. The only place Rachel had seen the girl apart from when she had come to her was at the supermarket that one time she had been intoxicated.

After a few moments of thinking, the brunette's eyes opened widely as a grin flashed across her face. Quinn only went out at night when everyone else was most likely asleep. If the girl didn't want people to see her then Rachel had to sneakily creep up on her when she least expected it.

The brunette turned her head to get a look at the clock. It was already half past nine which in Rachel's mind meant a perfect time to start her manipulative plan.

She quickly got out of bed and changed into some causal yet comfortable cloths in-case Quinn decided to run again when she saw her. This time if the blond tried to escape then she would be ready for it.

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Rachel drove pointlessly around town trying to spot Quinn's black Mercedes but had no such luck. Her mind wandered back to the previous encounters with the blond as she tried to look for any clues that would give her some direction. Feeling frustrated she eventually pulled over to check the time and revise her plan of attack. It had already been an hour since she left her apartment and she still hadn't come any closer to locating the girl.

Rachel slapped her palm against her forehead when she remembered the supermarket that she had seen Quinn shopping the first time she questioned her sanity. Everyone had to buy groceries sometime right? The brunette grinned devilishly before speeding toward the local market. The parking lot was completely vacated apart from two cars, none of which were of interest.

Rachel parked furthest away from the entrance and sat there focusing of any movement. Her excitement eventually faded within half an hour and she was left yawning and completely bored. The girl had almost given up when a bright car light blinded her vision. Rachel immediately perked up in happiness and relief only to deflate again after she saw that the beams belonged to one of the cars previously occupying the car-park.

An hour passed before the brunette cursed under her breath and closed her eyes to think. After what felt like a minute, another bright light disturbed her peace and her eyelids immediately snapped open to inspect the sight. The only thing she was met with was warmth as the sun's rays moved across her exposed flesh. Groaning in disappointment that she had fallen asleep, Rachel fired up the engine and drove home feeling like a complete failure.

Thankfully Rachel never gave up without a fight. The brunette staked outside the supermarket every night since her first attempt in hopes of Quinn showing up. It was the fifth night in a row that she had waited and still nothing had happened. She rubbed her temples willing herself not to give up as she noticed it was already a quarter past ten.

The effects of not sleeping for almost a week straight were finally getting to the girl. Her hand clutched the steering wheel as her fingers went to power on the ignition but she immediately froze when a familiar car finally decided to make its presence known. Doing an internal happy dance, Rachel left the comfort of her car and quietly waited for Quinn to do the same. When the girl had gone into the store, Rachel made her way toward the tinted Mercedes to surprise Quinn when she got out.

Silently praying that she wouldn't have to wait long, the girl took a seat on the cold concrete a few feet away from the car and waited. Rachel had been sitting for about two minutes when she almost screamed in surprise. She quickly adjusted her position to look for the mugger but was equally disturbed to realize the sound was coming from inside Quinn's car. Clutching her heart in one hand and her pepper spray in the other, Rachel slowly approached the vehicle with caution.

As she got closer a frown crept upon her face at the realization that someone inside the car was singing. Her eyes almost bulged out of her head when she looked through the window and identified the person an Emily. Rachel was about to run back to her hiding spot when the store doors opened to reveal Quinn hurriedly making her way outside.

The brunette quickly panicked and ducked behind the dark vehicle to remain undercover until the blond was close enough to not to startle. Quinn unlocked the trunk and was in the middle of putting her groceries in the back when Rachel approached her.

"Quinn!" she whispered softly while tapping the girls shoulder.

The blond immediately dropped the remaining bags and jumped in fear before her fist connected to Rachel's jaw. The next thing either of them remembered was Rachel on the floor, loudly groaning in pain. "Oh my god! Rachel?" Quinn asked, eyes wide in surprise.

The only thing Rachel could do at this point was groan again. Quinn was by her side, helping her up in an instant and it took all of the brunette's self control not to physically push her away. "I'm so sorry! I thought you were someone else, are you okay?"

Rachel held her jaw and shook her head as sharp pain cut through her face. "Shit! What the hell were you thinking sneaking up on me like that?" the brunette huffed and tried to argue but found it ridiculously hard to move her mouth. "Shh don't speak, come with me and I'll get you an ice pack okay?" Rachel frowned but nodded as Quinn helped her into the car.

The brunette tried to smile at an open mouthed Emily who was sitting in the back seat but gave up after the fifth attempt. "Ms Berry? Are you okay?" the little girl asked in concern while eyeing the bruise now forming on her teachers face. Rachel glared at Quinn who looked back sheepishly before turning back to Emily and nodding positively. The little girl smiled warily at her before looking at her mother curiously. Quinn quickly turned away from the questioning eyes and began to pull out of the car park.

The drive was mostly quiet and Rachel tried to pay attention in order to memorise the route but the constant pain in her jaw along with Quinn's constant apologetic glances proved to be too much. Slowly she clenched her eyes shut to refrain herself from shooting daggers at the blond. She was supposed to be playing nice now, yelling at Quinn for punching her wouldn't deem her friendly or trustworthy. Rachel would have to pretend and assure the blond that she wasn't mad about being punched no matter how much she was fuming on the inside.

The drive was unexpectedly long however Rachel didn't care enough to inspect the area and only opened her eyes when they slowed down. The brunette looked around curiously as they drove into an underground car-park. The building looked really rough on the outside but looks in this case were very deceiving. They all exited the car where the brunette helped carry some grocery bags. Quinn smiled at Rachel but the girl rolled her eyes and motioned for the blond to lead the way. They stopped at a large door where Quinn typed in a password then unlocked the door with a key. Rachel arched her eye-brows suspiciously and looked down at Emily who obliviously smiled at her. Once the door was open, they trio walked into an elevator which led them to the top floor. Quinn pulled out another key once they reached another door and opened it for the two brunettes's to enter. Rachel looked at Quinn waiting for an explanation but the blond just shrugged it off walked passed her.

Once inside Quinn relieved her of the shopping bags and led her to the living room. Rachel understood and took a seat while Quinn dropped the bags in the kitchen and went to put her daughter to sleep. While the blond was absent, Rachel took the opportunity to look around. The place was spacious and modern. Things looked expensive but appreciated unlike the Fabray house she had been to earlier. Rachel walked around and studied the picture frames, she smiled at photo's of a younger Emily while her eyes moved on and focused on older pictures from High school. The brunette's jaw clenched painfully when she saw framed pictures of the Glee club but slowly softened when she took in how happy they all looked.

Photo's of Brittany, Santana and Quinn at various cheerio's competitions and camps were scattered across the room however the thing that shocked Rachel the most was that there was no wedding pictures anywhere around the room. Rachel made a mental note to look in other rooms as she heard Quinn's Footsteps descending the stairs. The brunette waited for them to enter the living room but they took another route. Before she knew it, Quinn was standing in the doorway with an ice-pack and a frown on her face.

"How does your jaw feel?" she asked while approaching the brunette.

"iz til hurs bu il liv" Rachel helplessly mumbled through the pain.

Quinn winced at the reply while softly placing the Ice-pack on the swollen flesh. Rachel's eyes immediately snapped shut at the chill as she hissed at the pain. "I'm Sor—"

The blond's apology was cut short when Rachel's eyes snapped open. Quinn cleared her throat to stop herself from completing the sentence as the brunette nodded and raised her hand to hold the ice pack in place. Quinn got the hint and started to pull away. Their finger tips lightly grazed in the process causing the blond to back away slightly. Rachel frowned at the thought of making the girl uncomfortable but brushed it off before she could analyse why she even cared what Quinn Fabray felt.

The two sat opposite each other while Quinn tried not to stare at the bruise and Rachel willed herself not to glare at her. "I guess you wanted to talk?" the blond questioned causing Rachel to immediately nod. When she tried to reply however, her jaw refused to open. Quinn stared on apologetically before understand that it was too painful for Rachel to speak.

"I-Um...how about we talk tomorrow when you're feeling better?" Rachel huffed in frustration while mentally cursing the blond before nodding her acceptance of the proposal.

Their talk would have to wait, but Rachel would be damned if she let Quinn run away again...

* * *

**I'm sorry for ending it here but i'm really tired and didnt want you guys to wait so long for another update...I'll make it up to you next chapter i promise :)**

**So now that we know what happened to Quinn after graduation through Judy, what do you think is the real story?  
**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey Guys!**

**Sorry for not updating the past 2 days. Work kinda had me exhausted so i really didn't have the mentality to write anything even halfway decent.**

**Now its the weekend and I'm finally back!**

**Hope you guys enjoy this chapter, and I'm so grateful to those who review because you guys seriously make my day!**

**Sorry for any spelling errors and mistakes you find, you can blame me for all of them.**

**I don't own glee, which sucks because Faberry would have ruled!**

**Enjoy and thank you for taking the time to read this :)**

* * *

Unfortunately for Rachel, she had no-way of getting home that night because her car had been left behind when Quinn drove them to her apartment. That resulted in the brunette crashing on the blonds' couch with an ice-pack glued to her jaw throughout the whole night to try and relieve the pain Quinn's punch had physically inflicted upon her.

The unfamiliar residence hadn't alarmed her at first. The brunette honestly didn't even think about how it could impact her nightmares. Quinn had insisted that Rachel use the guest room upstairs but the brunette had stubbornly refused, not wanting to intrude and insisting on sleeping downstairs on the couch. The absence of her warm bed and overall lack of comfort had the brunette's subconscious darkly stirring in her sleep.

Nightmare upon nightmare assaulted the sleeping woman, all coming on stronger and more vivid than its previous rival. It began with chilling slushies, tormenting peers and didn't stop until a murderous gunshot was fired so loudly, Rachel could have sworn it was real. The brunette harshly jolted awake, a sobbing mess while clutching the sheet that was now covered in a mixture of tears and sweat. Rachel prayed she hadn't verbally expressed her terror before her consciousness had welcomed her, the crying girl buried her head under the blanket while using it to muffle her uncontrollable breathing as vicious sobs shook her from head to toe.

Sounds of hurried yet cautious footsteps did not register in her brain until she felt a hesitant hand graze her shoulder. Rachel unintentionally jerked away from the touch, still mortified with fresh visions of her nightmares as they played repeatedly in her mind. The girl uncovered her face, ready to fight her way out the door when a familiar pair of warm hazel eyes pinned her down.

"I have to go" Rachel quietly spoke as she ripped the blanket off her and rose to her feet.

"Rachel, please wait" Quinn approached the startling pale girl who looked like she was about to collapse. "Its 3 in the morning, you won't get anywhere without a car"

Rachel, whom was still shaking as she bent down to pick up her shoes, didn't even realize Quinn was talking to her until the warmth of the blonds' hand encased her own. The softness caught her off-guard as her whole body relaxed under the gentle touch. "Don't go yet" Quinn whispered as Rachel stared at her unblinkingly, still lost in her haze. Not quiet trusting her voice to speak yet she reluctantly pulled her hand away from Quinn's grip and made her way back to the couch. Rachel let out a long shaky breath as she cradled her head in her hands and silently begged the haunting images to leave her alone.

Quinn stood from across the room just watching the distressed brunette as she slowly drifted back to reality. Rachel again didn't notice her presence until she felt the couch dip next to her. "I'm sorry for waking you. I'm fine now so you can go back to getting your beauty sleep". Quinn remained silent and unmoving even though the words were unmistakably spoken clearly enough for her to decipher even through the brunette's hands that were sheltering her face.

After what felt like hours of silence, Quinn's unexpected voice pierced through her eardrums almost causing her to jump. "Do you want to talk about it?" the blond spoke so softly, almost as if raising her voice would cause the fragile brunette to break down again.

Rachel sighed and shook her head still ignoring the other girl. When Quinn didn't move or speak again Rachel slowly removed her face from the safety of her palms and turned toward the hazel eyed blond who was watching her with a sorrowful expression. Rachel couldn't decide if it was sadness or pity that Quinn was displaying, but she instantly knew that she was the cause of it.

"I don't need you feeling sorry for me Quinn. Go back to sleep"

For a split second the blond looked somewhat angry at the brunette's statement but she covered it up quickly by turning her head and biting her lip in what looked like a nervous habit. "I don't feel sorry for you" she stated calmly while turned her burning hazel orbs toward the other end of the couch where Rachel was seated.

"Then why are you still here?" The brunette asked almost annoyed that she wasn't being given the desired privacy she wanted.

Quinn just shrugged "I can't sleep" she answered simply with a hint of question in her voice.

Rachel huffed before crossing her arms over her chest and slouching back into the comfort of the seat. Both girls sat there intently staring at the dark TV screen pretending that the device was actually turned on. The silence and quiet breathing of the blond was almost enough to lull Rachel back to sleep, her eyes were about to close on their own accord when she heard Quinn shuffle and face her.

"You sure you don't want to talk about it?"

Rachel stopped herself from snapping at the girl and settled for a quick shrug to cover up her annoyance. "It was only a nightmare, there's nothing to talk about."

Quinn eyed her with an unreadable expression before subtlety shifting closer "What did you see?"

Rachel furrowed her brows angrily before diverting her gaze "That's none of your business" the brunette whispered as her fists clenched and once warm eyes turned stony.

"I'm sorry Rachel but you woke up in tears scream—"

The brunette cut her off quickly "What did I say?" she spoke in a rushed panic.

Quinn hesitated while fidgeting with her fingers "Y-You were begging someone to leave you alone"

The brunette's eyes went wide in horror while failing to cover up the sudden gasp rushing out of her open mouth. The pain in her jaw was long forgotten as she concentrated all her strength on willing her tears not to fall in front of Quinn.

"Rachel...It's okay, you don't have to tell me anything if you don't want too" The blonds' voice was gentle and soothing as it eased the day time nightmares currently making their presence known in Rachel's exhausted brain. The brunette nodded her appreciation while rubbing her temples.

"Thank you for your concern Quinn but I really need to get some sleep, you should do the same." Her stinging eyes were lowered to the floor as she softly whispered the words to the blond who's face immediately fell at the dismissal. Thankfully Quinn eventually nodded and squeezed Rachel's shoulder comfortingly before making her way out of the room. Sounds of hushed footsteps making their way up the stairs were enough indication for Rachel to finally let go. The waterfall flowing freely down her cheeks helped rid the brunette of the pent up emotions that were currently suffocating her. Eventually after what seemed like hours, her body weakened enough to stop the formation of the salty water just as her wasted body drifted into a sleep deprived coma.

* * *

The sun shining through the windows and the delicious smell of food stirred the girl from her dreamless rest and for once she was thankful for waking up in unfamiliar territory. As much as Rachel denied it, her body immediately reacted to the smell of pancakes with a loud rumble. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, the brunette sat up and checked the time to discover that it was half past eight. Feeling proud of her achievement at sleeping past her usual 5am she clumsily dragged her feet to the kitchen.

Her heart rate picked up at the sight of Quinn in her nightgown obliviously flipping the breakfast while humming a familiar tune. Rachel shrugged the feeling off as her eyes settled on the plate full of pancakes with a drooling mouth. Finally hearing the excited footsteps behind her made Quinn turn around with a smile as her eyes fell on a very hungry looking Rachel. "I take it, you like Pancakes?"

Rachel rolled her eyes in silent agreement before taking a seat at the kitchen table and digging in to the delicious food. Quinn grinned at the brunette's eagerness as she took a seat opposite her and joined in. "Where's Emily?" Rachel mumbled around a mouthful of food. The blond raised an eyebrow at the brunette, thoroughly amused at the sight before her.

"She'll be down in a sec" Right on cue, a very energized little brunette skipped happily into the kitchen and grinned when her eyes landed on the pancakes. Without hesitation she grabbed a plateful and began devouring the food in an almost similar fashion to Rachel's. Quinn stared at the two brunettes' in both shock and amusement as they viciously attacked their plates. The oblivious girls were suddenly made aware of the others presence when they happily groaned at the taste.

"Oh Hey Ms Berry!" An ecstatic Emily almost shouted.

Rachel grinned at the girl after she swallowed her mouthful "Hi Emily! We're not at school so please call me Rachel"

The little brunette beamed as they both sat there smiling and shoving forkfuls into their awaiting mouths. Quinn watched on and silently chuckled at the scene before her. The two girls were bought of their pancake daze when Quinn clearer her throat.

"Oh hey Mom! Thanks for making Pancakes, they're my favorite!" the girl squealed!

Rachel genuinely smirked while nodding "Me too!" Quinn looked at her with a teasing expression causing the brunette to straighten up and clear her throat. "I mean, yeah...whatever...thanks Fabray"

Emily obliviously carried on talking while Rachel eagerly listened before the conversation turned to musicals. The brunette had stopped paying attention until she felt someone tugging on her sleeves. "Rachel? You're not even listening to me!" Emily pouted at the older woman causing her to instantly feel guilty.

"I'm sorry Emily, what were you saying?"

The younger girl frowned before lecturing the teacher on proper manners. "I said that I want to be just like you when you were on Broadway!"

Rachel immediately tensed and froze as distant memories once again assaulted her mind. The pancakes she had happily eaten minutes before were threatening to come back out again. Thankfully Quinn cut in before the nauseous teacher could react.

"Baby, why don't you help me clean up and then you can go watch some cartoons?"

Emily immediately huffed and looked at Rachel with pleading eyes while clinging onto her hand. Somehow the older brunette managed to pull herself together and smile down at the younger girl. "Its fine Quinn. Thank you Emily, that's very nice of you. If you work hard then you'll also have no problem reaching your dreams. I have no question in my mind that you'll be a famous star one day" her shoulders were still tensed and she grew visibly pale which didn't go unnoticed by the blond currently studying her every move.

The younger girl beamed and grinned happily at the two older women. "Really Rachel? Can you please sing something?" she asked shyly "I always watch you on Tv but it's always been my wish to see you sing in person"

The sharp in-take of breath startled all three girls as Rachel swallowed audibly and softly retracted her hand. Emily's excited face instantly fell. "I'm sorry Rachel, it was a stupid idea" the young girl pursed her lips as tears fell down her rosy cheeks.

Guilt immediately washed over the brunette as she took in Emily's defeated posture. Quinn was momentarily forgotten as the older brunette gathered the child in her arms. "I'm sorry for upsetting you Emily" she soothed the young girl while turning her around to gain eye contact. "I would like nothing more than to sing for you but I can't"

The child looked into the sorrowful chocolate eyes as Rachel wiped away the girl's stray tears. "Why not?" Emily asked through trembling lips.

Rachel clenched her jaw and bit her lip to stop herself from breaking down as she diverted her gaze toward the table. "My voice doesn't work anymore. I can no longer sing." The words were brokenly whispered like the brunette was almost ashamed of herself.

The bright child seemed to understand her teacher's distress and hugged her tightly at the admission. "Please don't cry Rachel. You'll always be my favourite singer."

Rachel chuckled to distract herself from the jolting pain and painfully twisting stomach that was threatening to spill its contents more with every passing second. A few moments later and the two parted with Rachel excusing herself to go to the bathroom. As soon as the bathroom door locked behind her, the brunette was heaving over the toilet almost to the point where she felt like her organs had fallen out.

A soft knock on the door made her realize she had been in there for too long. She reluctantly parted from the toilet and washed her mouth and face before making her exit. A worried Quinn was on the other side waiting for the brunette when she walked out.

"Rachel I'm—"

"It's okay, I'm fine" she waved her hand and falsely smiled at the blond in what she hoped would assure her. Quinn hesitantly nodded and opened her mouth to speak again but Rachel beat her to it. "Thank you for the lovely breakfast" The blond frowned with knowledge that the breakfast she had eaten was already gone "I'll call a cab and be on my way. Thanks for everything Quinn." The other girl looked like she was about to protest but Rachel quickly hugged her awkwardly to shut her up and walked away before she could speak.

After she had said her goodbyes to Emily, the brunette thanked the blond again and made her way toward the door.

"Rachel, I could have taken you. Calling a cab was unnecessary"

The brunette tried to smile "It's too risky for you to be out in daylight in-case someone recognizes you or the cops pull you over for that nitro" Quinn blushed and rolled her eyes. "Don't go disappearing again Fabray"

"You can't tell me what to do Berry" she mockingly glared at the brunette who was doing the same.

Both women smiled at each other as Rachel held out her hand to shake Quinn's before making her way down the elevator.

A content smile crept on her face as she walked toward the awaiting taxi. Now that she knew where Quinn lived, the truth would be revealed pretty soon. Everyone knew how persuasive and annoying Rachel Berry could be. The brunette was repulsed with herself when she discovered that the thought of going back didn't come paired with the need to gag.

Shaking her head to once again dismiss her messed up mind, the brunette couldn't wait to start plotting her way to the truth.

Quinn Fabray would confess it whether she liked it or not...

* * *

**So you found out a little more from Rachel's side...I'm still debating whether or not i should Reveal Quinn's secret soon...**

**Do you think you've waited long enough?**

**Hmmm Decisions..Decisions... :P  
**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hello everyone!**

**Firstly i would like to apologize for not updating my other story, don't worry ill get back to that soon...as soon as i get over the writers block I'm experiencing with it :(**

**Okay so now this is a really long chapter where some things will FINALLY be revealed...so i really hope you like it!**

**Just to clear something up, Quinn was never pregnant with Beth in this story...SORRY i didn't mention that earlier.  
**

**i wont be able to update tomorrow so i apologize in advance!  
**

**Reviews are greatly appreciated so please leave me some feedback i would absolutely love to hear your thoughts on the progress so far.**

**Hope you enjoy and if not please don't hesitate to abuse or curse me haha  
**

**Sorry for any spelling errors or mistakes you find, I'm really tired so I couldn't be bothered editing it.**

**I don't own glee bla bla bla **

**Enjoy! :D**

* * *

Days turned into weeks as Rachel's visits to Quinn's apartment became a common occurrence. No questions were asked when the brunette would show up with bags full of take out, instead the two women would exchange small smiles as Emily excitedly pulled Rachel inside with a huge grin.

The brunette really didn't mean for it to happen. In the beginning she only did it to get closer to truth behind Quinn's sudden appearance back in Lima but now sitting in the living room laughing along to Emily's antics or Quinn jokes without a care in the world started to worry her. Rachel was only supposed to pretend to like their company and she definitely was not suppose to feel lonely on nights when she would decide to stay home in her small apartment.

Brushing off her latest disturbing thoughts, the brunette smiled as she took in the sight before her. Quinn was wholeheartedly trying not to laugh while Emily acted out a scene from Finding Nemo.

Rachel bit her lip in a desperate attempt to keep herself from doing the same as the young brunette ran around the room, pausing often to either give a dramatic pause or adorable expression that she tried to pass as panic.

Eventually the two women had turned red from their hard efforts of withholding their laughter. Emily obliviously continued on until Quinn cracked and burst into a fit of giggles followed immediately by Rachel whom was clutching onto her stomach as she almost fell off her chair. The younger brunette stared at them in shock and stomped her foot in anger before crossing her arms and pouting at the two adults who were still uncontrollably laughing at her.

"MOM! RACHEL! STOP LAUGHING AT ME!" Emily shrieked loudly before glaring at them both.

The laughter finally died down after the young girl stormed out of the room. Both women abruptly stopped and stared wide eyed at her retreating back.

Quinn broke the silence after a few minutes "Isn't it funny?"

Rachel absently smiled while still staring at the exit and made a confused sound that died in her throat.

"If she didn't look so much like me, I would have sworn she was your daughter" The brunette's eyes snapped toward the amused blond who was grinning at her like a maniac.

Rachel quirked an eyebrow at the statement before smirking at Quinn in a knowing manner. "Is that why your back? Hmmm let me guess...you stole my DNA and used it to create a perfect clone of me! Have you come back to introduce me to my biological daughter in which I didn't even know existed? I should have known you were obsessed with me back in high school...I mean you did single me out quite a bit didn't you?"

Quinn's grin fell slightly as a blush coloured her pale features. "You can blame yourself for her behaviour. She fell in-love with Broadway the very moment she saw you on stage...and I'm not obsessed with you!"

Rachels eyebrows furrowed at confession "Saw me on stage? When?"

The blonds' eyes went wide as she realised her slip up "Umm well...we just happened to be in New York for the opening of your first show so I took Emily to go see it."

The brunette's eyes went wide at the thought of Quinn watching her on stage "You...saw my first show?"

The blond shyly nodded as she cleared her throat, the blush still evident on her features. "You were amazing Rach" The brunette stared at her in shock with an unflatteringly jaw slacked mouth. Quinn made eye contact with Rachel, not at all fazed by her intense gaze.

Someone apart from her fathers had actually cared enough to go see her show. The thought of Quinn making the effort to sit there and watch her onstage while the brunette unknowingly sung her heart out was enough to stir something within the girl. The genuine compliment should have pained or angered her but for once since she left New York, Rachel didn't feel the need to punch something or cry.

Not liking the weird feelings coursing through her body, the brunette felt immense relief when Emily chose that moment to interrupt. "I'm still mad at both of you!" the tiny brunette yelled from her room. Both women snapped out of the staring contest and turned toward the stairs with matching smiles on their faces.

Once they had pleaded for forgiveness and the little diva had agreed to forgive them for their behaviour, they were both lectured on ways in which they could make it up to her. Quinn rolled her eyes as Rachel stared on proudly at the girl who was ranting about ice cream and a trip to New York.

"I have an idea"

Both girls turned toward Rachel who at this point had a wide grin on her face. Emily looked ecstatic to the point where she was almost bouncing off her bed. Quinn raised her infamous eyebrow and waited for the brunette to continue.

"Be ready at 7 tomorrow and ill pick you up for your surprise"

Emily squealed in delight and lunged toward the older brunette while Quinn looked on with panicked eyes. "Rachel, we can't go out, someone might recognize me!"

The two brunette's stopped their animated chatter to stare at fearful hazel eyes. Emily whined and glared at her mother for ruining her fun while Rachel nodded in agreement. "Firstly the drive is more than an hour away and secondly it will be dark outside so no-one will be able to get a clear view of your face. Not that anyone from Lima will be there..."

Quinn looked sceptic but eventually gave in to the persistent pouting. "Alright, fine! But if anything happens it's on you!" she pointed at Rachel who feigned innocence and waved her off to continue celebrating with the young diva.

* * *

The following day, Rachel was a nervous wreck. What if they didn't like her surprise? What if something went wrong? Deciding that it was too late to back out, the brunette shook her head to rid herself of all negative thoughts before taking a deep breath and knocking on the apartment door. Rachel was momentarily shocked when the door opened, Emily ran toward her and clung to her excitedly while Quinn just shook her head and gave the older brunette an apologetic look.

"Looks like someone's excited" Rachel laughed when Emily nodded enthusiastically.

"Can you tell us where we're going Rach? Please!" the young diva pleaded and immediately pouted when Rachel playfully shook her head.

Quinn chuckled at the display "See what I mean?" she nudged the amused brunette who looked like she was on the verge of giving in. Rachel smiled adoringly at the young girl holding her hand before turning her attention toward the blond.

"What do you mean?" she asked her looking nothing short of confused.

"With the exception of my features, she's an exact mini version of the Rachel Berry I went to high school with"

The brunette snorted "Sounds like your jealous Fabray"

Quinn's brows furrowed as she stared at her daughter "Where did I go wrong...?" she mumbled as the two brunettes continued to animatedly chat about nothing in particular.

The drive was long but as soon as they got to the destination, Emily's eyes lit up as a gasp escaped her small lips. "A Carnival?" the girl asked with dreamy eyes.

Rachel grinned "Do you like it?" she asked hopeful.

Quinn laughed "She's been begging me to take her to one of these things forever" Emily nodded in agreement before hurriedly exiting the car and waiting for the two women to catch up. The little diva grinned up at them and rushed them inside where her eyes went wide with excitement as she took in the various rides and candy stands.

"Thank you Rachel" Quinn said sincerely as they stood by and watched an ecstatic Emily driving a bumper car with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

Rachel tore her eyes away from the smiling child to frown at the blond. "For what?"

"For everything. I haven't seen her this happy in a long time" The brunette's frown deepened as she curiously stared at Quinn who diverted her eyes in sadness.

"You're both very welcome...Quinn, I'm sorry for being so angry with you in the beginning. It was very childish of me to blame you for something that happened such a long time ago."

Quinn shook her head with her eyes still on Emily. "No I deserved everything you said to me, it's not like I was innocent"

"It doesn't matter, my anger was targeted towards you because it was more convenient, It honestly had nothing to do with your treatment of me in the past. I'm bitter because of everything that happened to me after graduation, not because of what happened to me in High School"

Quinn's eyes hesitantly met Rachel's to regret the action almost instantly. It was torture not being able to reach out and hold the vulnerable girl in her arms. Instead the blond clenched her jaw and decided that it was now or never. "Rach... I don't know what happened in New York, the only thing any of us know is what the news outlets told us. If you ever want to talk about it, I'll be here for you"

The sharp stab that shot through the brunette's stomach almost resulted in her falling to the ground, thankfully Quinn didn't notice the sudden shallow breathing or her tight grip on the safety rails. Rachel swallowed thickly and blinked back tears that were stinging her eyes. "What did they report?" she asked almost inaudibly.

Quinn eyed her worriedly before stepping closer until their shoulders were touching in a gesture to comfort the girl without actually reaching out to her. " Just that you disappeared the night after your 21st birthday and no-one heard from you until a month later where you showed up to work only to quit the play and vanish again without a trace...Everyone was worried sick about you"

Rachel clenched her jaw and painfully bit her lip to distract her body from the burning desire to break down. "Is that all?" she shakily whispered to Quinn who nodded and slipped an arm around her shoulders to steady her.

"Rach are you okay? I'm so sorry for bringing it up, I know that it's none of my business" the blond spoke while gently rubbing the girls back to console her.

"No-one knows what happened right?" Quinn sadly shook her head "Good" the brunette let out a sigh of relief and silently thanked the police and her lawyers for keeping that information from the public and media.

The horrifying memories running through her mind were forgotten when a familiar little brunette's joyful laugh pierced through her ears. "That was so fun!" Emily charged toward the duo. Quinn eyed Rachel cautiously for any signs of distress before smiling at her daughter and pretending to pay attention while she continued rubbing comforting circles on the teachers back as she collected herself.

The older brunette plastered on a smile and allowed herself to be dragged away by the little diva who was hunting down a new ride. Quinn kept close and glanced at Rachel every few seconds before Emily ran toward the next activity. "I think we should leave after Emily finishes this ride, it's already past her bedtime"

Rachel nodded absently, still distracted as their previous conversation ran through her mind. The older brunette didn't pay attention to anything being spoken until she felt a familiar warmth encase her hand. "Hey, are you sure you're okay?"

Rachel mentally shook her head and focused on the concerned hazel orbs staring at her. "Huh? Oh yeah I'm good" Quinn was about to protest when her eyes travelled past the brunette's head and widened as she froze in something similar to shock, fear and panic, all rolled into one.

Noticing that the blond was no longer paying attention to her, Rachel was about to speak when Quinn tightened her hold on her hand and ran. "Oh my god, No No No No No!" Quinn chanted as she ran toward Emily and let go of the older brunettes hand while gathered her daughter tightly in her arms.

"Quinn?" the blond didn't respond until Rachel took hold of her shoulders and lightly shook her. "What's wrong? What the hell happened?"

"Please just take us home" Quinn ignored her questions and frantically looked around before hastily making her way toward the exit with two very confused and alarmed brunettes following her lead. When they finally got into the car, she urged a Rachel to hurry up and drive while she kept her head down and chanted what sounded like a prayer.

Even though they had been driving for almost 20 minutes, Quinn kept glancing behind them. "Mommy? What's wrong?" Emily asked from the back seat as she looked at her mother with familiar panic stricken hazel eyes.

"Nothing baby, don't worry okay? Everything is fine"

Emily ignored the assurance with tearful eyes "Did daddy find us? Do we have to leave again?"

Rachel almost lost control of the car but thankfully pulled herself together. When Quinn didn't answer, the brunette turned around to witness a very pale and stoic blond silently sobbing into her palms.

Emily grew more frantic when her mother didn't reply and began panicking. "Sweetheart everything is fine. You're not going anywhere I promise. Your mother is just feeling a little sick so we decided to head home for her get some rest"

Rachel reached for Quinn's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze before turning around to smile at Emily quickly. Thankfully the girl looked more at peace and smiled back at the now highly alarmed teacher.

* * *

By time they made it to the underground car-park, Quinn had controlled her crying but her eyes were still red and puffy. Rachel turned back to look at a now soundly sleeping Emily before helping the blond out of the car and carrying the sleeping girl to the apartment. Quinn headed straight toward the kitchen while Rachel went upstairs to Emily's bedroom.

The brunette made her way toward the kitchen after she had finished tucking in the child but found no sign of Quinn anywhere. Rachel made her way to the living room to again come to a dead end. She frowned in disappointment before giving up and making her way upstairs again in hopes that Quinn had decided to get some well needed rest.

Quietly making her way upstairs and passing Emily's bedroom, Rachel heard sounds of footsteps shuffling from inside Quinn's bedroom. Breathing out a sigh of relief that Quinn was getting ready for bed, the brunette quietly knocked on the door to no answer. Her stomach dropped as she heard drawers being opened and closed frantically and she burst in the door to witness Quinn throwing all her clothing and belongings into a suitcase.

Without thinking, Rachel made her way into the room and called out to the blond but again got no answer. It wasn't until the brunette gently grazed the blonds' shoulder that Quinn gasped and stiffened before violently turning around almost as if she was ready to attack. Rachel took a step back in shock as Quinn covered her mouth in realisation and started sobbing again.

Not caring that she would probably get hit again, Rachel approached the girl and gathered her into her arms, making sure to hold her tight in-case she tried to push her away. To her surprise Quinn immediately wrapped her arms around the brunette's waist and buried her face into the crook of her neck as she sobbed. They stood there with Rachel tightly holding her and whispering words of comfort as one hand rubbed her back and the other soothingly ran through blond locks.

After her shirt was ruined and Quinn's sobs reduced to sniffles, she finally broke the silence. "R-Rach, I have to l-leave" she spoke against the tan flesh of the brunette's neck almost causing her to shudder.

"Why? Quinn please tell me what's going on" The blond held her tighter in response.

"He found us" she whispered, the sorrow in her voice instantly causing Rachel to tense in anger.

"Who?"

"My ex-husband" Quinn whispered as fresh tears cascaded down her cheeks and down the brunette's neck.

Rachel balled her fists to control her emotions. "Is that who you're running from? Quinn weakly nodded against her neck. "Are you sure it was him?" the brunette closed her eyes and hoped that the blond had been mistaken.

"It was dark but I would recognize his face anywhere"

Rachel clenched her jaw in anger "did he see you?"

Quinn stiffened in her arms for a minute before slowly relaxing again. "I-I don't know"

Rachel breathed out a sigh of relief; at least there was a chance that they had gone un-noticed. "Maybe he didn't see you. There's no-way that anyone followed us here"

The brunette felt the blond frown against her again. "It's still too risky, I can't stay here anymore"

Fear and panic struck Rachel as thoughts of Quinn and Emily leaving invaded her mind. "Please don't leave" the words left her mouth before she could even process the meaning behind them. Quinn pulled away a little to look at the brunette's face. "Please stay" she whispered again with more confidence. "What if it wasn't him? Think of Emily, she loves it here"

Quinn bit her lip and pulled away from Rachel completely to go and sit on her bed. The brunette mimicked her actions and took a seat beside her. "I don't know what to do anymore" Quinn shakily spoke and she clenched her eyes shut.

"Quinn, why are you running from him?" This time Rachel couldn't stop her curiosity from taking advantage.

Quinn made a pained sound in the back of her throat before opening her eyes to look into worried chocolate orbs. "It's a long story" she tried to dismiss the question but Rachel shuffled closer and encouragingly took her hand between both of hers and nodded. "Where do I start?" Quinn cleared her throat in an attempt to calm her nerves. She had never told anyone the truth behind her marriage and yet one look from the girl she used to torment had her instantly willing to spill it all.

"How about you start at the very beginning, right after you left for college" the brunette maintained eye contact as Quinn held her hand tighter while hesitantly nodding.

"W-Well as you know I was accepted into Yale's law program" she was momentarily distracted by the softness of Rachel's fingers as they traced over the skin on her hand. "My father introduced me to a friend of his who was a professor there. After about a week I met his son Mark and we instantly became friends." The brunette nodded along as Quinn paused to gather her thoughts.

"Mark seemed sweet and very charming so he was very popular and well known around campus. After about a month, he asked me out on a date. I kindly declined and after a few more attempts he finally gave up and we stayed close friends. One night he invited me to a party he was throwing in his dorm and begged me to come. I grudgingly agreed if he promised that he wouldn't let anything get out of control. He assured me that nothing would happen so eventually he talked me into it and I ended up going. One thing led to another and the last thing I remembered was Mark handing me a drink with a smile. I trusted him which was a mistake because the next morning I woke up in his bed with him sleeping next to me."

Quinn paused to wipe away her tears and tighten her grip on the brunette's hand. Rachel wanted to say something but kept quiet in fears of it being the wrong thing. The only things she could think of were how much she wanted to hunt down this Mark guy and hurt him. Quinn's voice tuned her back to reality as she went back to concentrating on the story.

"So then I started panicking when I noticed neither of us was wearing any cloths. Mark woke up and tried to calm me down. He said that we had both been drunk and that he had remembered to use protection. The only thoughts racing through my mind at that point were of how disappointed my parents would have been with me. Their perfect little angel had lost her virginity while being intoxicated at a college party, I was terrified that my father would find out and disown me but Mark promised that no-one would ever know"

"Things went back to some normalcy after that until I started regularly throwing up. I didn't think much of it until my period skipped, I knew something was terribly wrong then so I went to see a doctor. God Rachel, I swear I had never been so scared then at the moment when she told me that I was pregnant, It was like someone had shot me right in the heart." Rachel cringed at the confession. No-one would ever know how painful bullet wounds were until they were on the receiving end of one.

"Straight after hearing the news I went to Mark with every intention of killing him, when I got to his room, I burst into tears and told him what had happened. It should of alarmed me how calm he was upon hearing the news but I brushed it off as he promised me he would fix it."

"We talked for a long time and he eventually convinced me that the only way to avoid my parents finding out or getting suspicious was to get married. I was so scared and vulnerable so I agreed and within the next three months we were husband and wife. My father was happy upon hearing the news because Mark was from a wealthy Christian family. He didn't once ask me if I was sure about my decision or how I felt about him. The only thing I got from my father was a nod and smile while he congratulated me on my good choice"

Rachel stiffened at the information as Judy's tearful face popped into her head. She made a mental note to talk to Quinn about that later.

"So to cut things short we got married and things slowly started to change. He graduated and I had to drop out of college to take care of Emily. He started getting possessive and jealous until he spiraled out of control. After Emily's fourth birthday he disappeared for a week and came back a completely different person. He was abusive before but it was only always towards me and not our daughter. When I asked him where he had been, he snapped and pulled out a gun, threatening to kill both of us because it didn't matter to him anymore. I think his exact words were 'you wouldn't be the first'. Miraculously there was a knock on the door and it turned out to be his mother. While they were both occupied in the living room I took Emily and ran. I drove for days and didn't stop until we got to a different state. I was so scared he would find us and take his anger out on Emily so i didn't sleep throughout the whole ordeal"

"We've been hiding ever since. First we went to New York but eventually he would somehow track us down and we would have to pack up and escape again. We'll never get away from him Rachel. He won't stop until he kills me"

The brunette was stunned into silence as Quinn turned around and crawled into her arms as sobs wracked her body again. Rachel cried with her for a few minutes until she pulled herself together. Quinn needed her to be strong.

She didn't understand her feelings for the blond at that moment but the only things that were clear to her was that she would never let Mark hurt Quinn and Emily again.

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**Thoughts?**

**What would you guys like to see in the next chapter? :)**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hello Again :)**

**Firstly, I'm really glad you all enjoyed the last chapter, i was kinda nervous before posting it so its a big relief to have such positive comments.  
**

**Thank you so so much to everyone who reviewed, I'm very grateful for you feedback :)**

**Just a warning that i might not be able to update for a few days because work is really stressful right now...so i apologize in advance.**

**Hope you enjoy this next part and also hope that my silent readers come out and say Hi. I would love to hear from you!**

**Okay ill shut up now so you can read the story!**

**Sorry for any errors or mistakes you find because i was too lazy to edit.**

**I don't own glee but i don't mind because the recent episodes are rocking!**

**Enjoy! :D**

* * *

After the tearful confession of Quinn tortured past, the two women exhaustedly gave into sleep sometime during the early hours of the morning. Rachel wasn't sure why the nightmares didn't come that night. Whether it was due to the warm body holding onto her or the weak fatigue, the brunette didn't complain when peaceful dreams replaced dark hauntings in her subconscious for the first time since her horrific accident.

The sun illuminating through the curtains during the early morning awoke Rachel from her joyful slumber. The first thoughts that registered in her mind were that her body felt heavy in a painless and pleasant manner. The soft skin and slow breathing on her collarbone also did not register properly until the brunette curiously opened her eyes. The woman wasn't shocked out of her sleep induced haze until her eyes focused on blond hair and pale limbs intertwined within her own. There, laying almost on-top of her was Quinn, her arm wrapped protectively around the brunette's waist pulling her impossibly tighter into her own body while her head rested on Rachel's shoulder.

The teacher should have at least felt some mild discomfort for waking up in such an intimate position but the previous night's rest combined with Quinn's heartbreaking story made Rachel instantly want to hold her closer. Without thinking, the brunette carefully manoeuvred their positions until they were both of their sides and Quinn's face was safely tucked under Rachel's chin as her arms tightly wrapped around her torso.

The content sigh that escaped Quinn's parted lips had Rachel smiling up until she once again closed her eyes to rest as the blonds' addictive scent kept her company. Neither woke again until she felt Quinn shuffle in her arms. Her lazy sounds of protests did not go un-noticed as a familiar chuckle sounded in her ears. Not wanting to break the comforting contact, Rachel pretended to remain asleep as she sneakily pulled the girl closer, until she heard a light giggle muffled by her neck. Doing her best to suppress her Goosebumps as Quinn's lips delicately brushed against her ear, Rachel lazily opened her chocolate orbs to come face to face with amused hazel eyes.

The gasp honestly escaped her lips before she could stop it. Amused hazel instantly turned worried as Quinn untangled herself and apologized for being so close in proximity. Rachel lay there frozen as the blond pulled away. The surprised gasp was not caused by the intimate touch like Quinn had suspected, in-fact the surprise came from the fact that Rachel until that point had been completely oblivious to how much she felt for the beauty beside her.

The instant chocolate met hazel that morning, a rush of warmth jolted all throughout Rachel's body. The sudden realization that she might have strong feelings for the girl she was comforting without thought the previous day left the brunette awkward and worried.

"Sorry...we must of drifted together when we fell asleep"

Still mesmerised by the blond beauty, Rachel could only dimly nod her head and sit up. Quinn looked nervous as she played with her hands. The awkward tension in the room caused by Rachel's reaction still lingered strongly in the room. Softly clearing her throat and silently reprimanding herself for the sudden urge to touch the blond, the brunette finally spoke. "I can't complain, I haven't slept that well in a long time"

Quinn's shoulders immediately relaxed as she bashfully smiled. "Me too" she whispered while turning to face the beaming brunette.

"So how are you feeling?" Rachel tried to change the subject before she lunged toward the blond in her sudden need for contact. The brunette was instantly worried at the new disturbing turn her brain had taken. The last thing she needed in her life right now was more drama and complications.

Quinn inhaled a deep breath before regaining her smile. "Much better than I have since this whole ordeal began. Thank you...for being here and most of all for listening"

Rachel smiled back while mentally cursing herself and the vicious butterflies invading her stomach. Fortunately for the brunette, her words were cut off when Emily bounced into the room and happily jumped on the bed before crawling in-between the duo. The two women shared one last smile before grabbing the little diva and heading for the kitchen to make some breakfast.

The brunette was hyper-aware of every touch, graze and smile the blond aimed at her all day, much to her distress and agony. Rachel and Quinn didn't discuss what happened that night before they had gone to sleep. It was silently agreed that it would have to be saved for a time when Emily wasn't present in fears of alarming the child again. In the meantime the brunette would have to think of ways in which to convince them to stay in Lima. Now that her feelings were involved, there was no-way that she would let them go even if it meant protecting them from Mark herself.

* * *

After making plans to catch up the next day, Rachel left Quinn's apartment in desperate need of some shopping. Buying things always helped ease her mind, especially when it was being overloaded with confused thoughts and images of someone she was itching to touch again. The brunette knew she was in trouble and needed to stop things before they started to progress. Quinn surely hadn't changed that drastically since high school; the scary HBIC had to be in there somewhere.

Rachel mentally slapped herself as she entered the grocery store in desperate need of ice-cream. She hurriedly walked toward the large refrigerators and smiled as she studied the various varieties. Her eyes stopped on the last carton of cookies 'n' cream with a excited smiled as she reached for it. Unfortunately her lack of height kept her from getting to it. Rachel eyed it and huffed in frustration before another hand jerked it out of sight.

Her fists clenched in anger as she prepared herself for a long argument of 'I saw it first' until the box was graciously handed to her.

"Here you go, It looks like you were having a little difficulty reaching it"

Rachel body stiffened for an unknown reason but she quickly dismissed it and turned around to thank the stranger. "Thank you...I could of gotten it myself" her eyes subtlety roamed the man whom was clad in dark sunglasses and a baseball cap.

He must have noticed her cautious glance and chuckled lightly as she stared at him. "Long night of drinking gave me a really bad hangover" he motioned toward his glasses as he smiled at her.

Rachel shifted uncomfortably under his gaze but politely nodded sympathetically in understanding. "We've all been there" she forced a small laugh "anyway, thank you for the ice cream and welcome to Lima"

The man grinned "how did you know?"

Rachel again suppressed a shiver as he bared his teeth. "It's a small town" she shrugged "I haven't seen you around so I'm guessing your new here?"

He nodded and stepped forward to introduce himself. "I'm Terrence Harper, I just moved here from Chicago with my daughter"

Rachel forced a smile and shook his hand. "It's very nice to meet you Terrence. I'm Rachel"

The man returned her smile and squeezed her hand before finally letting go. "Sorry if this seems random, but would you happen to know any good schools around here? My five year old daughter is anxious to start and I haven't had time to look around much. My wife passed away a few years ago so I don't have any help"

"I'm very sorry to hear that" the brunette felt horrible for judging the man so quickly. She reached into her purse for a pen and paper before scribbling down a list of good schools in their area. She handed the paper to him and he took it gratefully. "I teach at this one" Rachel pointed at the name. It's a great school so if you decide to enrol her there, I'll make sure she's well taken care of.

He smiled gratefully at the brunette before thanking her again. Rachel politely returned the gesture before they parted ways. The man seemed kind but something about him still made her feel uneasy. She guessed it was his attire and large glasses. Just as she was about to head out, he waved at her and walked away. The brunette's hands froze suddenly as her body tensed.

Not understanding why he gave her such an intense reaction, Rachel shook it away and made her way into the car park. A creepy feeling of being watched caused the hair on the back of her neck to stand in fear as a cold shiver traveled down her spine. She quickly peeked through the windows of her car to make sure it was empty before hastily unlocking her door and making her way inside.

The brunette glanced around the car-park to find it empty but she still could not shake the horrific feeling away. The very same feeling she got in New York before her accident. It was strangely similar apart from the setting, like your body knew something bad was going to happen before your brain could process the danger. This time however, Rachel listened to the warning signs instead of ignoring them as she buckled up and quickly drove away.

Making sure to check her mirrors to see if no-one was following her, the brunette purposely drove past her apartment and toward her father's house. Rachel would not be alone tonight; she would drive to her childhood home and check up on her past tormentor/Present love interest to make sure her and Emily were safe.

If anything happened this time, Rachel would be ready for it.

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**Oh No...**

**I smell trouble...**..


	10. Chapter 10

**Okay...so i couldn't stay away for more than a day lol**

**Anyways just thought i should provide you with a simple filler chapter before all the drama goes down...and YES you will learn about what happened to Rachel very shortly, i promise you wont have to wait much longer.**

**Sorry to the people waiting for an update on my other story, ill get back to that soon i promise!**

**Hope you enjoy this part and please excuse any errors you find :D**

**Thank you especially to my reviewers you guys are my motivation. I seriously love you all :)**

**See you again soon!**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Rachel made it to her parent's house safely that night, but not after feeling a deep rush of paranoia drown her whole body. The man she met at the mall had triggered some mild panic attack which had worsened when she parted ways with him. Her body sent out warning signals but when she checked her surroundings, they were quickly pushed away because there truly was no-one in sight. The streets of Lima were quiet along with the vacated road suburb her Father's lived in, If someone had been tailing her, Rachel couldn't understand how it was possible that they had managed to remain unseen for so long.

The brunette checked all her mirrors for any sign of life before quickly rushing toward the residence and letting herself in with the emergency keys her father's had supplied her with. Much to the girls horror, the house was completely empty. Rachel lifelessly walked up the stairs and to her old room before locking the door and collapsing on her old bed.

The brunette sorted through the recent conversations with her two parents to try and figure out why they weren't already home. When nothing came to mind she gave up and pulled out her cell-phone, her eyes scanned over her contact list and over Quinn's name before deciding against it and dialing her Father's already memorized number.

When the phone didn't ring but instead went directly to voice mail, she knew he was working late and had turned it off. Giving up on him, she dialed her other father's number and prayed that he would answer.

"Hey Honey!" Rachel let out a sigh of relief; she hadn't noticed how much she had missed him until his joyous voice filled her ears.

"Daddy! Where are you? I stopped by to see you but neither you or dad are home" The brunette pouted and was sure he would notice. Her parents always made me feel like a careless young child.

The man chuckled "I told your father to remind you that I would be out of town for the rest of the week. I have a big case I need to take care of...Stop pouting" he laughed again "Don't worry honey, I'll take you out to dinner as soon as I get back. I love you."

Rachel couldn't help but smile and relax as his voice calmed the panicked state of her rapidly beating heart."Okay, I'll hold you to that, Love you too dad. See you when you get back"

As soon as the conversation ended, the calmness had instantly been taken with it. The brunette found herself analyzing each sound or creak as it echoed through the large and empty house. Not liking the insane or chilling thoughts currently evading her mind, Rachel left the comfort of her bed and went downstairs to make herself a snack.

No matter how much she tried to distract herself, the brunette's mind miraculously strayed back to Quinn and Emily. Before sadistic theories could plague her mind, the brunette found herself dialing the foreign number her fingers had traced for the hundredth time that night.

"Rachel?" the brunette couldn't help the smile that crept up on her features as her name escaped the delectable lips. Not quite knowing how to speak just yet, the girl took a seat on her coach and made herself comfortable before opening her mouth to respond. "Hello?"

"Hey Quinn...Sorry I know it's late but I just wanted to check up on Emily"

"Oh...she's great, I just put her to bed" Rachel could practically read the disappointment in the blonds' voice when she spoke again.

The brunette cleared her throat awkwardly before looking around the room anxiously, in-case anything popped out and attacked her. "That's good...How about you? How are you coping?"

Quinn let out a deep sigh "I...I don't know, I'm trying not to think about it"

Rachel's eyebrows furrowed at the confession. The brunette could tell the blond was scared but she honestly didn't know what to say to help ease her fears because she was in some ways just as scared of the possibility that Mark had found them. "I won't let him hurt you anymore". Rachel's eyes widened as soon as the sentence left her mouth. How on earth was she supposed to protect someone when she wasn't even strong enough to do the same for herself?

If Quinn's breathing hadn't picked up, then the brunette would be sure the blond had hung up on her. After what felt like an eternity of waiting, the velvet voice made it presence known again. "Rach...he's too dangerous, we can't win"

Rachel snorted "Trust me; I've been through much worse. You can't keep running from him Quinn. If you don't fight now then you'll always be afraid. What about Emily? She deserves a normal life, one that doesn't consist of living in fear or moving states and having to build a new life every time he tracks you down." The brunette knew she had gotten her message across when she heard almost silent sobbing on the other line "You deserve better Quinn and if you decide that you want to fight, then I'll be right there by your side. If anything happens just know that you won't be facing it alone"

"You'll really be here?" Rachel had never heard such vulnerability in the blonds' voice before. Everything in that moment just made the brunette wish she was there to visibly witness it. Least that way she could comfort the girl and hold her while her walls crumbled.

"Always" the brunette whispered with determination. "Oh crap, my phones going to die, let me just find my charger and I'll call you right back"

Quinn smiled and agreed before the other line went dead. The blond ran her hands over her face in an attempt to calm her nerves. Not wanting to seem too anxious for Rachel's call, she decided to kill some time by watching TV.

* * *

Fifteen agonizing minutes had passed before she gave up on waiting, thinking that the brunette had forgotten. Quinn removed her exhausted body from the couch to make her way to the kitchen for a hot cup of coffee. Checking her phone, one last time to make sure that Rachel hadn't indeed called again, the blond huffed in disappointment, almost getting ready to turn it off before it rung again.

Rachel's smiling face filled up the screen, instantly making the other girl grin. "Hey Sorry about that, where were we?" Quinn's answer was cut off when she heard knocking at the door. "Oh, is this a bad time? I should probably let you get some sleep anyway. Have a goodnight."

Before Quinn could protest the line went dead and she felt an instant shiver go down her spine. She tried calling Rachel back but the calls kept going through to her voice-mail. Annoyed and scared out of her wits, she left an angry message on the girls answering machine while she slowly crept to the front door, silently praying that it wasn't her ex husband.

"Rachel! You said you would be here for me but then you start ignoring me when I need you most? What the hell! What if it's Mark? What the hell do i do? Oh god I'm so scared...If I live after this then I'm going to kill you!"

Her fear induced rant was abruptly cut off when she peered through the door scope and came face to face with a smugly grinning brunette on the other side.

"What the hell Rachel? You think that was funny?" Quinn hissed angrily.

Rachel's smirk didn't falter in the slightest. "Yes? Okay...No?...Maybe?" The blond glared at her while holding a hand over her heart. "Aw, you look cute when you're mad...Oh fine! I'm Sorry, even though your now blushing I should apologize for my immature joke...I just thought we should have this conversation in person because I didn't like hearing you cry on the phone"

Quinn's anger had disappeared as she took in the concerned chocolate eyes staring guiltily back at her. "You came all this way to see me because of that?"

Rachel diverted her gaze in embarrassment. "I don't like it when your sad okay?...stop looking at me like that Fabray! I just missed Emily so I stopped by to say goodnight to the mini-me"

Quinn raised her infamous eyebrow and grinned at the girl. "I told you, she's already asleep"

The brunette had already known that but secretly hoped the blond would have forgotten telling her. "Oh well...that's too bad isn't it?"

"Yes it is" the blond replied with her still raised eyebrow as they stood there staring at each other, secretly willing the other to give in.

Quinn was the first to break as her patience quickly ran out. "Damn it! Hurry up and come inside Berry!" the blond practically dragged a smug looking Rachel inside making sure to grip her hand extra hard for scaring her earlier.

The brunette smiled as Quinn unnecessarily held her hand, not letting go until after they sat down. Things were changing and the only thing that scared Rachel was that it made her feel alive for the first time since she had concurred Broadway.

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**Are you all ready for the twists and drama?**


	11. Chapter 11

**Really Long Chapter because i wont be able to update for a few days...University is starting on Monday so I'm pretty much screwed lol**

**Okay so i don't have much to say today because I'm dead tired right now...i need sleep!  
**

**Hope you guys enjoy it**

**and Please Review! If you do then i might update quicker...they kinda kick me into action lol**

**Sorry for any errors or mistakes you find.  
**

**I don't own Glee...but you already knew that!**

**Enjoy! :D**

* * *

Even though Rachel could not prove that someone was following her that night, the girl was smart. Before leaving her parents house, the brunette called a cab and snuck out the back door where she successfully made her way through the neighbour's garden without being seen, then walking a few blocks to where she had asked him to park.

Apart from the innocent flirting and kiss on the cheek before they both parted ways for the night, things hadn't progressed much further with the two women. Although Quinn had with much persistent begging from Rachel, decided to stay in Lima until it could be proven that Mark had actually found them. Much to the brunette's delight she had even managed to somehow convince the blond to go out with her again, only this time Emily would have to stay back in-case things went wrong again.

Rachel didn't understand the excitement she felt the day she was due to go out with Quinn. Maybe it was the fact that they would be alone or because it sounded like a date. Whatever the reason, the brunette couldn't contain her giddiness.

After cautiously sneaking out of the back entrance of her apartment, she let out a breath she didn't even notice she was holding. Rachel sped all the way to Quinn's residence, taking extra care to constantly study her surroundings for anything unusual. The last thing they needed was to unintentionally lead the stalker to their safe hideout.

The brunette rode the elevator up to the top floor, where she rang the doorbell and patiently waited for the door to open. As always, Emily opened it and lunged toward Rachel with a blinding smile.

"RACH!"

The older woman laughed at the pint sized diva's cuteness. "Emily!" she proclaimed just as happily as she was pulled inside.

"Mom's just finishing up, she'll be down soon" the young girl grinned knowingly at her obviously nervous teacher as she attempted to calm herself down. "Nice dress Rach, you look like a princess!" Rachel bashfully smiled at the younger girl and momentarily forgot about the woman upstairs.

"Can I come with you?" Emily asked while bouncing on the couch with pleading eyes.

"I wish you could sweetheart but my fathers are dying to meet you. They've even taken out my old collection of musicals for you to enjoy. Oh and you can eat all the ice cream you want there, just don't tell your mom" Rachel whispered the last part as if it was some big secret. Emily's eyes widened at the mention of musicals and unlimited ice cream. "But...if you really want to come and sit with us while we talk about boring old people things then I'll just call my dads now an—"

The rest of the sentence was cut off when the young diva shook her head and stole the older brunette's cell phone. "No No! I wanna go to your house and watch movies Rach!"

Rachel tried her best not to triumphantly grin as she nodded "Okay, if that's what you really want..." Emily eagerly agreed before hugging the older woman in response.

"Thank you Rach, you're the best! Just don't tell mommy about the Ice Cream or she won't let me have any" The older woman laughed at the child's pout.

"Deal! It's our secret" she held out her pinkie as a promise. Emily beamed as she returned the gesture and lectured Rachel on the consequences of breaking it, much to the older brunette's amusement.

The young Diva's rant was effectively silenced when they heard heeled footsteps enter the room."Are you two ready?" Both girls momentarily forgot about their conversation and turned toward the blonds' voice.

Emily squealed happily before jumping of the couch and almost running toward her mother. "Yes! I've been ready forever, why did you take so long and why are you dressed like that? Are you going on a date mommy?"

Rachel didn't hear any of the conversation because of the loud beating of her heart. The brunette could literally hear the blood pumping in her body while it worked on overtime to stop her from collapsing. Luckily Quinn was talking to Emily while trying to hide her deep crimson blush.

The colored cheeks done nothing to improve Rachel's immobile state as she reluctantly tore her eyes away from the sight, just as the tiny diva's voice ceased.

Quinn's tight red dress and beautifully over exposed legs caused the brunette to feel paralysed while desperately trying to control her erratic breathing. The last thing she needed was for the blond to discover that the brunette had been checking her out.

"Rach? Are you okay? You look a little pale"

Even her voice sounded more sensual as it invaded the brunette's eardrums. Rachel mentally cursed Quinn for having such an effect on her before promptly meeting hazel eyes and nodding. The blond looked suspicious but didn't say anything as she led them out of the apartment. Rachel subtlety walked slower than usual to catch her breath but immediately regretted it as her eyes drifted to Quinn's behind.

"Damn it!" she cursed while she gripped onto the wall for support as her breathing picked up again.

"Rachel?" Emily called when she noticed the older brunette wasn't walking with them.

"I'm just fixing my heels; you two go ahead and ill catch up with you in a second" fortunately, they bought the excuse and carried on while Rachel pulled herself together. "It's just Quinn! so pull yourself together before you make an ass of out yourself!" the brunette's internal arguments lasted for another five minutes before she could finally manage to walk again.

* * *

The drive to the Berry Residence was filled with animated chatter amongst the three girls. Rachel and Quinn both shared a look and laughed at the child's constant chatter about musicals and all things Broadway. When they arrived, Quinn waited in the car and watched from the distance as both of the brunette's father's excitedly welcomed the duo inside.

Rachel exited the house after a few minutes with a smile on her face. "How did it go?" Quinn asked anxiously as the brunette got in the car.

Rachel tried not to look at the blond too much in-case she had trouble breathing again but hoped one little glance wouldn't hurt as she hesitantly met worried hazel orbs. "Perfect" the word was meant for Quinn but the blond obliviously smiled. "They love her already and Emily...well I don't think she'll want to leave anytime soon"

Rachel made sure to drive somewhere out of town so neither of them were recognised. Thankfully, the blond didn't notice the brunette's eyes scanning their surroundings like a mad woman as the two fell into a comfortable conversation.

Dinner at Rachel's favorite restaurant was going very smoothly. Much to the brunette's annoyance, when they first walked in, most men had their eyes glued to either Rachel's legs or Quinn's butt. The brunette's blood boiled as she glanced around the full restaurant and took in all the hungry faces eyeing the blond. Rachel instinctively placed her hand on the small of Quinn's back as they were led to their table. Some eventually got the hint and the brunette grinned smugly at the disappointed looks being shot their way.

The blond was seated first and smiled adoringly at the brunette but Rachel didn't miss the heated gaze she felt from piercing hazel eyes on her body when she turned around and made her way to her side across the table.

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"Rachel aren't you vegan?"Quinn asked puzzled as the brunette ordered steak.

The other girl smiled and shook her head. "I use to be...but then I realized life was too short and gave up after I had my first burger" Rachel smiled fondly as memories of her first big mac flooded her mind.

Quinn shook her head and laughed. "Wow, who would have thought? Rachel Berry eating meat and wearing leather...I should take a picture and post it on the internet"

The brunette's eyes went wide "Don't you dare Fabray! I use to be a spokesperson for Peta! They will probably have me killed"

Quinn burst out in a fit of giggles at the dramatic display of panic that was so similar to the ones she was use to in High School and now her daughter. "Oh god, I wish I had a camera! You should have seen your face"

Rachel huffed and playfully glared at the still giggling blond as she sipped on her wine. The two playfully joked and lightly flirted up until their dinner was served. Quinn eyed the brunette as she took her first bite of meat, still not processing the fact that she was no longer vegan. Her innocent thoughts turned more inappropriate as the plump lips wrapped around the fork, she hadn't noticed that Rachel had caught her until she heard a soft cough and diverted her gaze in embarrassment.

The brunette smirked knowingly at the blond whom was still having trouble concentrating on her food. "You look a little flushed Quinn, Are you okay?" she asked innocently as Quinn swallowed thickly.

The blushing girl looked up after a few minutes to answer but was immediately frozen in shock as her eyes immediately diverted toward something else. "Quinn? What wrong?"Rachel asked while trying to break the other girl out of her trance. When Quinn didn't answer, the brunette turned around but failed to see anything suspicious.

Rachel reached across the table and took hold of the blonds' hand in an attempt to snap the girl out of her current state. The touch effectively done the trick as Quinn's eyes snapped toward Rachel's, looking nothing short of terrified. The shaking pale hand rose up to cover her trembling lips as she ducked her head on the table.

Again, the brunette turned around to see what had triggered such a harsh reaction from the scared girl but came up short once more. Knowing something was terribly wrong, Rachel quietly asked for the check while still trying to get through to the shell shocked woman in front of her. "Quinn, we're leaving now okay?"

The blond squeezed her hand and nodded before looking behind the brunette to see if the sight was still there."No No NO!" Quinn was shaking at this point. "He's gone!" she sobbed as Rachel stood up and made her way around the table before shaking the blond to get her attention. "Oh god, No!"

"Quinn talk to me! Who's gone? Did you see Mark?" the two had forgotten they weren't alone as they unintentionally began to cause a scene. Rachel cupped Quinn's cheek and turned her frantically searching eyes toward her.

The blond nodded shakily "H-He was smiling at me Rachel! Oh god, H-He found me!" Rachel's eyes went comically wide as she helped the girl to her feet.

"He can't hurt you okay? I'm right here and I won't let anything happen to you" She held the blond in her arms and soothed her until she stopped shaking before quickly paying the check and leading them toward the exit. Rachel refused to go into the car-park and paid the manager to drive their car to the front door, much to Quinn's relief.

The brunette helped Quinn in first before dashing to her side and speeding off into the distance, making sure to lose anyone who might possibly be following them. As soon as both doors had closed, the blond was a sobbing mess again. Once Rachel was sure they were safe, she pulled into what looked like path leading to a park, the place looked like a forest which effectively shielded them from the outside word.

The brunette switched off all the lights and made sure all doors were locked before pulling the frantic girl into her arms. Quinn immediately responded by wrapping her arms around the petite girl and burying her head in the crook of her neck. "E-Emily, we h-have to g-get her!" she managed to breath out between her tears.

Rachel held her tighter "Don't worry about her, she's with my fathers and completely safe, I promise"

Even with the assurance, the blond showed no signs of stopping. "No! We have to get her, he found us Rachel! H-He's going to kill me"

Volatile anger rose in the pit of her stomach as the words sunk in. This time Rachel was far from scared, the only thing she felt was sick and furious. "No-one will ever hurt you like that again, do you understand me?"

When the blond didn't respond, Rachel loosened her grip and pulled away so she could look at her properly. "Quinn, look at me. That bastard will never touch you again, do you hear me?"

The blond hesitantly looked up into determined dark eyes. "W-What If—"

"No, don't think of any scenarios because I won't let any of them happen. You and Emily will remain safe and I'll be there right by your side. If he decides to show up then I'll be more than happy to take care of him" Rachel almost growled out the last part, the anger obvious in her voice. "What do you say Quinn? Will you let me take care of this?"

The blond stared at her, taking in the harsh rise of her chest and clenched fists as she protectively held onto her, almost like she would have to die first before letting anything happen to her and Emily.

"Quinn are you listening to me? Look I have a plan, we'll pick up Emily and go somewhere out of town for a few days until we figure out a plan. What do you say?"

Rachel's mind was working on over-time as she thought of ways to take the man down. The brunette was so caught up in her own world that she didn't even notice the blond leaning in. Before any of them knew what happened, their lips were connected and jolts of sparks were pleasantly assaulting Rachel's body.

Quinn pulled back first looking panicked and on another verge of a breakdown. Before Rachel's mind could comprehend what had taken place, her enlightened body reacted on its own accord by softly pulling the girl toward her and into another kiss.

The blond responded eagerly by wrapping her arms around the brunette's waist and bringing her in impossibly closer. The two got completely lost in the moment until Rachel's phone rang and they hesitantly pulled apart.

"Dad, is everything okay?" she asked breathlessly

The man knowingly laughed "Yes honey, everything it great. Your father and I just wanted to see how your date was going"

Rachel blushed profusely before harshly whispered so that Quinn wouldn't hear "I told you it wasn't a date!" the two men giggled loudly on the other end.

"Whatever you say honey"

"We're coming to pick Emily up soon so I'll deal with you both then!" Rachel whispered again before quickly ending the conversation. She turned back to Quinn who was anxiously biting her lip. "Ummm, I think It's safe to leave now...are you feeling better?"

Quinn blushed and nodded before bashfully smiling at Rachel. The brunette returned the gesture and powered the engine before cautiously backing out of their hiding spot and driving away. They both remained silent until Rachel pulled into the Berry driveway and went to pick up Emily. The two brunettes's returned fifteen minutes later with an excitedly chatting diva and blushing Rachel as they waved goodbye to her parents.

"Mommy!" the young child exclaimed while kissing her mother on the cheek.

"Hey baby! Did you have a good time?"

Emily nodded eagerly and took it as her cue to spill each and every detail about her exciting night. The two brunettes shared an amused look when the younger girl almost messed up and admitted that she had been eating junk food all night. Quinn noticed the look but let the two have their moment.

"What did you guys do? Did you have fun like me?"

Quinn and Rachel looked at each other and nodded as images of their heated kisses ran through their minds. Emily seemed to notice something was off about the two. "Why are you both turning red?"

The little girl huffed in annoyance for not getting an answer. "I-It's just really hot in here, right Quinn?"

"YES! Just really hot!"

Emily looked at them sceptically before ignoring their mini panicked rants and rambling about how much fun she had. The two women breathed in relief at the diva's short attention span and continued to remain silent as they listened.

When Rachel parked in front of an unfamiliar building, two sets of eyes looked at her curiously. "Oh it's my apartment; I'll just go in and grab a few things for us before we head out of town"

"Where are we going?" Emily asked.

"We're going on a little trip sweetheart" the girl squealed in delight as her mother finished the sentence.

Rachel smiled at the two before leaving them alone and making her way to her apartment. It took longer than usual because she had taken safety precautions and parked far away. The brunette made her way up the familiar route quickly and didn't slow down her pace until she made it to her apartment door. She flung the door open and turned on the lights before heading straight to her room. The brunette hadn't stopped to look around as she filled up a duffle bag with cloths that were sure to fit both her and Quinn.

Just as she finished closing the zipper, her eyes fell on a framed picture of the glee club that had fallen on the floor. A chill ran down her spine as she picked up the portrait that was usually placed safely on her nightstand. Rachel's eyes widened as she took in the various items in her room, It would have looked completely normal if she hadn't memorised every inch of the place. Rachel knew someone apart from her had been in there.

Without hesitation she quickly flung the duffle bag over her shoulder with every intention of running out of there. Just as she had crossed the threshold of her room, the brunette heard faint footsteps walking toward her. Scanning every inch she could without actually leaving the small confinement, Rachel cursed when nothing was in her preliminary sight. The footsteps were getting closer and faster and even though the brunette was dying to catch a glimpse of the intruder she knew it wasn't worth the risk.

With smoothness she wasn't aware she possessed, the girl quickly grabbed hold of the door and locked it shut behind her. Her adrenaline was pumping but the immense fear was undeniable. The only good she could see in the situation was that Quinn and Emily were safe in the car. Her calming thoughts were interrupted when there was a bang on the door,

Rachel's eyes widened at the sheer force before running toward her window and searching for the emergency ladder. Luckily she spotted it and made her way out the window just as the banging got louder and more aggressive. Blocking out the horrific sounds, she made her way down the cold metal ladder, almost losing her grip as she heard the wood shatter. Fortunately the girl was on her last step because at that point she didn't care. Rachel jumped off the remaining inches causing her to land painfully on the ground. Blindly grabbing her duffle bag, she rose to her feet again without glancing back at her window and ran for her life.

Sounds of the metal she had jumped off moments before squeaked in protest as a heavy weight was put on it. Rachel willed herself not to look back as she frantically sped up her pace and climbed over a nearby fence to throw the person off her track. Her lungs burned as she heard a masculine grunt in the distance but she pushed on because she knew they would catch her if she didn't.

The brunette almost cried in relief when she heard something crash behind her. The person following her had fallen which gave her more time to escape. Silently praying that they wouldn't be getting up anytime sooner, the girl slowed down her pace when the footsteps previously tracking her faded.

When she spotted her car safely hidden in the darkness, Rachel checked her pockets and thanked the heavens that she hadn't dropped her keys. She flung the boot open and recklessly threw in her duffle bag before jumping in the driver's seat and locking the doors.

Rachel wasn't sure how long she had been there but she was glad to find that Emily was soundly sleeping. Quinn however looked very alert and alarmed as she took in the brunette's distraught appearance. Rachel ignored her concerned gaze and powered on the engine before dangerously speeding away from the scene.

"Rach? What happened?" The brunette's blood pumping in her ears didn't allow the words to process in her mind. "Oh my god you're bleeding!" Quinn covered her mouth to silence her gasp as her eyes took in Rachel's now bruising torso that was uncovered by her torn dress.

Rachel looked down at her body before clenching her jaw and allowing the pain to finally settle in her ribs. "Someone was in my house"

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**The action keeps things exciting doesn't it?**

**hope i didn't scare you guys... :P**


	12. Chapter 12

**Okay so your reviews bought me back...lol i feel bad for not updating when you guys say such wonderful things!**

**Are you ready for an emotional chapter?**

**You better prepare for it because this update is full of it...OH and it mentions some violence so be warned!**

**I'm also changing the rating to M Just in-case :)**

**Hope you like it and please review!**

**I love hearing your thoughts on the story and its progression!**

**This chapter will hopefully answer some of your lingering questions so I'm gonna shut up and let you read!**

**Enjoy! :)**

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"Oh my God, Rachel I'm so sorry for dragging you into this!"

The brunette clung to the steering wheel as she came down from the intense adrenaline rush. Now that her body had cooled down, the jerking pain in her ribs stung and burnt like it was viciously being hit and torn at by a hammer. Not wanting to upset the blond further, Rachel bit her lip and tried her best to ignore the inhumane pain coursing through her torso. "You didn't drag me into anything. This is all my fault, if I hadn't taken you to the carnival in the first place then this would have never happened. You and Emily would still be safe here. I lead him to Lima Quinn, I'm so sorry!"

The blond silently reached forward and gently pried one of the Rachel's hands off the steering wheel. "He was already so close Rach, Mark always finds us, every time we try to escapes he always finds a way. Nothing else matters anymore, as long as you're with here. Thank you...for everything"

Rachel finally turned her head to look at Quinn who's tearful confession stirred something within her. Not quite trusting her voice to speak, Rachel softly smiled at the beautiful woman before intertwining their joined hands and slowly bringing them toward her lips as she planted a lingering kiss on pale skin.

Quinn's shy blush was enough to distract the brunette from the hammering pain in her body for the rest of the long drive.

"So where are we going?" Quinn broke the comfortable silence they had been relaxing in for the past hour.

Rachel smiled and squeezed her hand but continued to keep her eyes focused on the road. "I know this beautiful place I used to visit regularly when I needed to get away from everything. The owners are friends of mine so they let me stay there whenever I need too. The place is very secluded and hidden which is kind of perfect for us"

The brunette could see Quinn grinning appreciatory from the corner of her eyes. "It sounds just like what we need"

Their soft chatter eventually dissolved as the blond dozed off. The drive continued until the early hours of the morning and Quinn didn't stir until the sun came up. Thankfully Emily was still fast asleep, probably exhausted from the previous night of excitement she had experienced.

Rachel smiled at the girl adoringly before she felt Quinn's grip on her hand tighten again. "Good morning, you woke up just in time"

The blond sat up more comfortably and slowly rubbed the sleep out of her eyes before looking out the car window. "We're still in the middle of nowhere Rach" the girl replied sleepily.

The brunette lightly chuckled "It may look like that but there's actually a small town a few miles away"

Before Quinn could reply, the brunette slowed down before looking toward the blond with an excited grin and drove through what looked like a Forrest. "Rach? What are you doing? There's no pathway here"

Rachel stayed silent but the smile was still evident on her face. "Rachel! Where are we going? I really don't like camping and the Blair Witch Project kind of scared me off any—"

The rest of the sentence died in her throat as a beautiful cottage came into view. Her mouth hung open as she took in the elegant building and the mesmerizing lake it was built beside.

Rachel's eyes lit up and wondered toward Quinn who was still staring in disbelief. "It's beautiful isn't it?" the blond meekly nodded causing the brunette to laugh as she slowly came to a stop and parked in-front of it.

While Quinn's eyes roamed the area, Rachel exited the vehicle and retrieved her duffle bag from the boot before carrying a still sleeping Emily inside. The blond reluctantly tore her eyes away from the beautiful scene as she followed the two brunettes' inside. When Rachel emerged from the bedroom she had put the sleeping diva in, she opened her duffle bag and handed Quinn a pair of comfortable cloths.

The blond took the sweatpants and t-shirt gratefully as her gaze lingered upon the open cuts that were openly visible through Rachel's torn dress. "I thought you might want to change out of that dress" the brunette chuckled lightly while motioning toward Quinn's tight garment she had been wearing since the night before. "I'm going to go and get cleaned up" Quinn nodded understandingly as she watched Rachel leave the room

After the blond had shed her dress and changed, she walked around the house in awe and joy. There was no-way that Mark could locate them here. For once Quinn felt like she could sleep properly without worrying that her door would be broken down while she was least expecting it. Especially since Rachel was there with her, the blond felt safer than ever.

The shower had stopped running a while prior to her explorations so when Quinn twisted the knob to the master suite, she never expected to find a bra clad Rachel Berry on the other side.

The brunette in question, whipped around as a loud gasp filled the room, the girl was so focused on cleaning her wound that she hadn't noticed someone enter the room. Thankfully she wasn't completely naked, her short and bra had managed to leave her with some sort of dignity.

Rachel self consciously wrapped her arms around her almost naked torso as Quinn eyes blankly stared at her body. "I know the cuts look painful, but they're really not that bad" When the blonds face contorted in disbelief and tears started streaming down her cheeks, the brunette knew something was wrong. "Qui—" Rachel's enquiry was silenced as her puzzled eyes followed Quinn's tearful gaze.

Almost instantly, realization hit her as her own eyes widened in fear and shock. Hastily grabbing the nearest piece of clothing she could find, Rachel shamefully tried to cover her body but it was too late. Quinn had seen it. The brunette couldn't believe she had forgotten to lock the door.

In that moment Rachel wanted nothing more than to drop dead. Quinn's sorrowful eyes had been what she wanted to avoid even from her own. Rachel hadn't changed in front of a mirror for years because the view of her naked body made her feel sick. The one thing she couldn't escape were the scars that had pierced her once flawless figure and continued to serve as a constant reminder of her pain.

Still shaking, Quinn approached the brunette slowly. With every step she took, the brunette immediately took one further away from her. "Rach, it's okay, please don't run from me"

Without warning, Rachel's feet stopped working and within seconds she found herself on the floor, desperately struggling to breathe as her limbs shut down. Quinn rushed toward her and as much as the brunette tried to run, her body was lifeless. She tried to push the blond away and scream at her for barging in but the only sounds she could make were strained cries as she unwillingly let Quinn help her onto the bed.

Rachel refused to look at the blond as she silently cried. Quinn's own salty tears fell onto the brunette's still bare torso as her eyes furiously scanned the various bullet wounds forever implanted in smooth tan skin. Without speaking, she kneeled in front of the still sobbing girl and encased both of her shaking hands within her own.

They both sat there softly shaking as they tried to get hold of their emotions. Rachel's vision slowly cleared as Quinn buried her face into the brunette's lap. Seeing how distraught the blond was slowly bought Rachel back from her painful memories that she had been darkly walking through in her mind.

"Quinn" she finally spoke through a painfully dry throat and delicately ran her fingers through soft golden locks. "Look at me please" she urged the still shaking girl who continued to remain speechless. A few moments passed before the brunette gave up on trying to persuade the other girl into meeting her eyes and gently backed away until Quinn's puffy face came into view.

"W-Who did this to you?" her tone was chilling and angry as her hazel orbs stared at the wounds again. "H-how could anyone do this to you?" her tone was now softer and disbelieving as she finally met Rachel's gaze. "What happened to you in New York?" her eyes were fiery and demanding as she waited for the brunette to answer the millions of haunting questions running through her mind. Rachel clenched her jaw and looked away but this time the blond didn't give up. She stood up from her position of the floor and softly caressed the brunette's face in her palms as she gently encouraged her to meet her gaze.

The broken and pained expression in Quinn's soft and caring eyes caught Rachel off guard. The blond silently pleaded for her to open up and for once, the brunette nodded and broke down as a fresh wave of emotions hit her. The blond gently cradled the crying girl in her arms and soothed her with loving words as she waited for her to open up.

Once Rachel had calmed down and fully moulded into Quinn's warm body, she for once, couldn't deny telling someone the truth. "I-It happened the n-night of my 21st birthday" she softly spoke as the blond gently ran her fingers through dark tresses.

"I left the bar and decided to walk home for a change...It was a beautiful warm night and I was so high on life. Everything was going perfectly and I was so close to getting my dream role on Broadway" the brunette paused to gather herself for the painful twist in the story.

"I was still a little drunk so I decided to take a different route and go through the shortcut. The streets were almost empty so I didn't sense any danger in walking through the deserted road. I must have been far tipsier than I thought because once we were out of view from everyone else, I heard faint footsteps behind me."

"I immediately turned around to see if one of my friends had decided to join me but it was really dark and there was no-one in sight. After self consciously gazing around for a few minutes, I gave up and carried walking toward my apartment"

"I thought I heard footsteps again but I dismissed it for it being caused by my paranoia or the large amount of alcohol that I had previously consumed. I stupidly didn't turn around again and as I approached the alleyway leading directly toward my home, the moment I stepped foot in the area, I felt a sharp pain pierce through my ribs"

Quinn gasped causing Rachel to stop and look up at the blond but she just shook her head and motioned for the brunette to continue as she absently ran her fingers over the scarred tissue. The warm touch both pleasantly surprised and distracted the brunette, however it also managed to give her the strength she needed in that moment of vulnerability.

"I immediately felt my shirt dampen and I was so obliviously in shock that it didn't occur to me in that moment that I was bleeding. That scar you saw on my back when you first walked in was the first stab wound that I felt." Even though Quinn tried her best to remain passive, Rachel could feel her body stiffen and her grip tighten around her waist. "You sure you want me to continue?" The blond nodded and tried her best to encouragingly smile.

Hesitantly the brunette cleared her throat and continued while keeping a close eye on the already distraught blond. "Just as the pain started to register and my mind started to make sense of what was happening to my body, my feet tried to run but instead collapsed under me. Before i could hit the ground, I felt someone grab the back of my neck and drag me into the dark alleyway. I hit the ground before I could try and pull away but it was too late."

"He was towering over me and angrily screaming. I couldn't hear a word because my head was painfully throbbing and my ribs hurt so extremely that I couldn't breathe. After what felt like hours and just as i had regained my senses again, he pulled out a gun and pointed it toward me. I remember begging him to stop but he just laughed and shot without even hesitating"

"The first bullet got me just above my chest and I was so shocked that i didn't even notice the second one tearing through my stomach. The last thing I remember was hearing another gruelling gunshot before everything went dark."

Quinn's calm breathing was ragged as her jaw tensed painfully in rage. "I woke up in hospital a month later much to everyone's disbelief. They all thought I was going to die after my heart stopped twice and I fell into a deep coma. I was so relieved that they had saved me but after the third day I noticed something was terribly wrong with my voice. I was told to give it some time but after a few more days the doctor finally admitted that my vocal chords were ruined.

"The prolonged Intubation due to the several operations and coma I had been under had caused severe damage to my larynx and trachea. The only thing they could tell me was how sorry they were and that it was the only way they could save me. I told them I was already considered dead without my voice but he only shook his head and called me dramatic. I would have jumped out of bed and killed him right there but my whole body was numb and sore"

"So finally, after a few months my speaking voice was healing so I didn't have trouble talking but I haven't ever been able to sing since. You all know the rest of the story, I feel into a deep depression and disappeared for a while before I grudgingly learned to live with it and came back to Lima"

"The worst part of the story is that they never found who did it. The police searched for months but found nothing. I don't even know why it happened to me, it doesn't make any sense. My wallet was still with me so he clearly wasn't after my money. I just wish I could have seen his face. That's why I've always been so bitter; I never got any closure you know? If I had done something to deserve it then maybe I could live with the outcome."

Quinn was silent as she contemplated Rachel's words. "You could never deserve anything that happened to you Rachel. Not in high school and not in New York. You've always been the kindest person I have ever known. Even after all the horrible things I done to you, you still risked your life to protect me" The blond voice was shaky and full of regret and Rachel didn't miss the pained strain she heard as it faltered.

"Quinn, I forgave you for that already. Please don't be so hard on yourself. High school is already long forgotten. You're not the same person you were back then, none of us are"

The blond responded by holding Rachel impossible tighter as she buried her face in dark locks. "I'm so sorry for everything you have had to go through. If anyone deserved it, it would be me"

Rachel shot up at the confession "Don't you ever think that Quinn! Do you hear me? You're the furthest person to deserve anything like that. You've bought me nothing but happiness from the moment you and Emily walked into my life. I was a broken ghost before you moved here. I am so grateful that you came back because you have replaced so much missing pieces that I lost in New York. I don't even want to think about where I would be if it weren't for you"

"Rach...you've always meant so much to me, I'm so sorry for ever causing you pain because of it"

"Quinn, Please...I forgive you for everything but now I'm just waiting for you to do the same. You can't keep blaming yourself when forgiveness has been granted. Especially when you changed into a beautiful person both inside and out...unlike high school" she chuckled at memories of the teenage Quinn who was beautiful yet ruthless and malicious. The person she was holding now was a completely different person than the one she grew up with

"I'm going to kill him!" Quinn angrily whispered suddenly between sobs after Rachel's words had processed.

"Kill who?" Rachel asked obliviously as she awaited a different reply from the blond.

"Whoever done this to you, I'm going to find him and make him pay!"

The brunette chuckled at the adorable display of protection. "If you do then let me at him first okay?"

Quinn softly laughed and nodded in Rachel's neck causing the other girl to smile. "Thank him too okay? Because if it wasn't for that asshole, I would have still been in New York and we would have never crossed paths again"

The blond pulled away to look Rachel in the eye as she seriously spoke. "I'm still going to kill him" the brunette giggled again causing the blond to pout for a second before biting her lip and wrapped her arms around Rachel's still bare torso again. "I'm so glad you survived, I honestly don't know if i could have made it through this without you" she whispered in a moment of deep sincerity.

Rachel smiled and kissed the soft pale cheek.

"Mommy, where are we?"

Both girls sprung apart as Emily's sleepy voice drifted through the room. Rachel jumped off the bed and hastily put on a T-shirt before coming face to face with the tiny diva whom was looking back and forth between the two women in confusion.

Both gaped at the tiny brunette but couldn't find the words to explain. After several minutes of awkward silence Emily finally spoke again.

"It's about damn time!" she declared triumphantly while Quinn and Rachel Stared at her with wide eyes.

She frowned before looking between the two again."What? Why are you two looking at me like that?"

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**I'm honestly kind of nervous about what you all think about this chapter so please let me know your thoughts :)**

**P.S. There's still plenty of twists left ;)**


	13. Chapter 13

**Okay i really can't stay away when you guys give me such amazing reviews!**

**It's like my skin itches with guilt for not updating quickly lol**

**So heres the next part, It's a filler chapter though. Just wanted to give you some sweet times between the two girls before the drama and action kick in the next chapter. **

**I'm already excited for that part ;D**

**Hope you all enjoy and please review! it really motivates me in times where University and work drain my free time.**

**As always, Thank you all for reading, i wish i could hug you all!**

**I don't own Glee bla bla bla **

**Enjoy! :D**

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"If you go back then I'm coming with you!"

Rachel sighed loudly. "No you're not. Both you and Emily are going to stay here where it's safe"

Quinn huffed and crossed her arms defiantly. "Rach no! You can't go back there!"

The brunette smiled at the blonds' protectiveness. "I wish I could stay but I really have to go back to work, they've been calling me nonstop all morning because they can't find a replacement. Don't worry, I'll ask for some time off when i get there and I'll drive back as soon as my class finishes"

"Please...just don't go" the blond was whispered with so much emotion that the brunette almost dropped her bag and gave in.

"Quinn...I promise I'll come back safely" the blond dropped her head in doubt as the words lingered between them. Rachel studied her slumped shoulders as her deliciously soft pouting lip became victim to her dazzling teeth. The brunette had to catch her breath as the blonds' beauty hit her with intense force, immediately knocking the air out of her lungs.

After a moment of silence when the blond still refused to look in her direction, Rachel silently walked toward her and slowly caressed her cheek, gently grazing the soft skin as if it were the last time she would ever feel her again. When Quinn melted under her touch and nuzzled into her palm, Rachel took the opportunity to lean forward and close the torturous short distance between their lips.

The soft lingering kiss was gradually built into a tender passion filled embrace as Quinn's hand gripped onto Rachel' wrist and tugged her flush against her own body while her other arm wrapped around the brunette's waist. Rachel reacted just as heatedly as her fingers traced down the blonds' pale coloured cheek and lovingly gripped onto her neck as her knees buckled under the fiery passion.

The need for air came much too soon for both women as they broke apart breathlessly panting. Both sets of eyes remained blissfully closed as they continued to steal soft shy kisses that soon turned heated once again. Rachel truly didn't understand just how much the blond meant to her until their lips met, unlike the first time, these kisses weren't scared or hesitant. They were bursting with emotion and secret promises neither could bring themselves to say just yet.

Their heart beats pounded mercilessly in the others chest as their flush bodies continued to perfectly mould and sync together. Rachel's whole body was on fire as Quinn's soft whimpers awoke something animalistic within her. In an instant, Rachel had become addicted. The need to be impossibly closer to Quinn only registered when her lungs viciously burned and begged for release but she somehow still refused to let go.

Quinn was the first to pull away but before the brunette could begin to miss the soft and sensual exchange, warm open mouthed kisses were being peppered down her neck and across her collarbone. Rachel's eyes instantly closed at the new sensations racing through her entire body. No-one had ever made her feel such intense feelings before the blond. Even after everything the brunette had been through, deep inside she knew that no-one would ever make her feel like this again.

The rapidly emerging thoughts and personal confessions were only interrupted when Rachel felt her neck grow damp. The girl's confusion lasted only for a split second until she felt an unmistakable sniffle produce against her burning skin.

The blonds' previous ministrations ceased as both her arms tightly wrapped around Rachel's waist in an attempt to ground them both. Not quiet ready to let the brunette go, Quinn breathed heavily into the tan skin, causing the brunette to involuntarily shiver.

"Hey, what's wrong?" the alarmed brunette gently whispered to the girl still lost in her own emotions. Not knowing how to answer, Quinn continued to kiss up Rachel's neck then up her jaw line and cheeks until she stopped on the girls lips once again.

"Remember how I kissed you in senior year?" she whispered against the plump bruised lips now resting against her own.

Rachel chuckled lightly "How could I forget?"

"God Rach, you looked so beautiful and...I-I just couldn't contain myself anymore" Rachel's eyes flew open at the confession. "I was going to tell you everything but I couldn't find the right words. I had even written them down and practiced my speech but in that moment when you looked at me, all I needed was to be closer to you. I needed to show you because no words could ever express what I felt"

"Then why did you run?" this time it was Quinn's turn to open her eyes and meet the brunette's questioning gaze.

"I wasn't prepared for what that kiss made me feel. I knew in that moment that you could never reciprocate them as strongly as I did and I couldn't bare the thought of seeing the disgust on your face so I kept my eyes closed and got out of there before you could react"

The blonds' hazel eyes were shining with regretful and unshed tears as Rachel's unwavering gaze held her own. "I ran to the bathroom with hope that you would follow me but you never came. I'm so sorry for all my actions after that Rachel. I needed you to hate me so I would stop feeling what I did for you. I needed you to stay away from me because I knew it would only take one of your beautiful smiles to break me."

"With a simple kiss you had changed everything. No-one had made me feel so deeply than you did in those few seconds and that truly terrified me. I was going to ask you out that day" the blond laughed humorlessly. "I would have confessed everything had you called my name when i walked away. I knew it was selfish of me but only later did I realize that I would never deserve a piece of your heart, not the whole piece that I needed anyway"

Rachel bit her lip as the new information dusted off and unlocked memories that finally seemed to piece together. "I wish you had stayed until I had opened my eyes Quinn. I reached out for you but you were already gone. If you had waited a single day without spreading those rumors then everything would have been so different. I broke up with Finn that night...after you kissed me, I knew he could never match up to my new expectations anymore because I couldn't help but compare him to you. You took something from me that day"

Quinn inhaled deeply "What did I take?"

Rachel bit her lip as she intertwined their fingers "I still haven't figured it out but I do know that it doesn't feel like it's missing when I'm with you"

The blonds' tears finally surfaced as gentle tan fingers tenderly brushed them away. "Guess you can't fight destiny right?" Both women chuckled and lost themselves in the others lips before they heard footsteps clumsily nearing their room.

Not wanting to be caught again, they slowly separated and waited to be reprimanded by the small figure. Emily strode in the room confidently, not once faltering as she took in the two women's appearances. "Okay i hope you two weren't kissing again because cooties can kill you and I don't want you to die! Especially you Rach"

The little girl grinned happily at the older brunette while Quinn's eyes doubled in size. Rachel beamed back and scooped the giggling girl in her arms before she noticed the blond playfully glaring at them both. Emily smirked at her mother "Mommy I was joking! I love you too especially when you make me pancakes!"

Rachel nodded in agreement as her stomach rumbled at the thought of having pancakes for breakfast again. Quinn shook her head at the two brunette's as Rachel put Emily down and watched her race into the kitchen. Stealing one last kiss from the blond, they both smiled goofily as they made their way out of the room, fingers safely laced together.

Rachel knew this time it would be different she just hoped that it wouldn't be taken away from her so soon.

* * *

**Excited for the action?**

**I'm ready to bring the suspense ;)**


	14. Chapter 14

**Now that the fluff is out of the way, i hope your all prepared for this chapter.**

**Its pretty long so i hope you forgive me for not being able to update as much as i use too before uni started.**

**Plenty of Drama and action so i hope you stay entertained throughout the whole thing.**

**As always thank you for reading, subscribing but mostly to my reviewers! You make me want to update quicker and write faster when I hit those nasty writers blocks.**

**I don't own glee but the grammatical mistakes are all mine. (sorry)**

**Enjoy! :)**

* * *

Rachel smiled as she drove through the school gates. The facility parking lot was unsurprisingly empty as such an ungodly hour in the morning. She had spent the entire previous day convincing Quinn that her return to Lima wouldn't result in any harmful or dangerous situations. Luckily for her, the blond wasn't nearly as hard to persuade when heated kisses were exchanged between the two. Grudgingly, Quinn had finally agreed to let her leave for the day, only to have her promise that she wouldn't do so again until Mark was out of the picture.

Honestly, Mark was the last thing on her mind at that given moment. Knowing that Quinn and Emily were safe caused the brunette to breath easily as she let her paranoia slip to the very deep shadows within the confinements of her tortured mind. Rachel's once haunted brain now solely focused on the safety and protection of the two most important people in her life. The immense relief that flooded the brunette's senses could not be put into words as she thought about Emily and Quinn safely hiding in a secret paradise where no-one would ever find them.

Rachel's genuine smile never faltered as she entered the hardly missed school building. Staff members whom slowly arrived tried not to stare at her with such questioning gazes as they took in her bright and beaming complexion. If Rachel wasn't so content at that time, their lingering eyes and curious smiles would have made her extremely uncomfortable.

Once her class filled up, the brunette happily got through her lesson as the children's joyful presence reminded her so much of why she had chosen that profession in the first place. Rachel loved teaching, at first she had only studied the degree to avoid getting into medicine. However, standing there now and watching as the little kids looked up at her with such admiration; the brunette knew she had made the right decision.

Time seemed to pass her by and before she had even realised it, the brunette was already halfway through her day. Rachel smiled at her students as she dismissed them for lunch. The excited chatter disappeared down the hallway as tiny feet headed toward the cafeteria. Much to the teacher's relief, the day seemed to be going smoothly and according to plan.

Things were all falling into place until a familiar lanky man-child decided to ruin her insanely good mood. The unmistakable and irritable shadow blocking the sun from her eyes immediately had Rachel clenching her jaw and miserably failing at hiding her despair.

"Rach!" the man exclaimed as if he hadn't seen her in years.

Rachel barely fought the urge to roll her eyes. "Finn" she exhaled annoyed at the sudden intrusion.

Taking it as an opening to invite himself in, the boy frowned deeply almost like he was solving a second grade math question. "Where have you been Rachel? You've been ignoring my calls and all the messages I sent you. Do you know how worried I was? You haven't been home in days!"

Rachel slumped back into her chair and held the bridge of her nose in an attempt to control her quickly rising anger, "Was there something you needed Finn? You're not my baby sitter and I'm not a child so if you would excuse me, I have alot of work to get through."

Finn crossed his arms angrily over his chest. "Look, I'm just worried about you okay?"

Rachel clenched her fists at his predictable words but softened her tone in hopes that he would give up. "Why would you be worried about me? I'm much healthier and happier than I've been in a long time"

The man's eyes widened at the sudden realisation "So it's true then?" he asked almost disbelievingly

Rachel bit the inside of her cheek to stop herself from lashing out at him. Sometimes Finn could have stalker-like tendencies. "What are you talking about?" she questioned with a raised eyebrow.

Finn glared at her coldly. "You keep disappearing and nobody can contact you for days. It's Lima Rach, people notice"

Rachel leaned forward until her elbows were comfortably situated on her desk. "What have they been saying?" she asked curiously.

Finn physically grew uncomfortable at the question. He cleared his throat awkwardly in an attempt to buy some time. "I-I...Umm..."

The brunette grew impatient as his stuttering and shallow breathing continued. "Finn! What the hell do they think is going on with me?" the anxiousness in her voice went unnoticed by the tense boy. Rachel silently prayed that no-one had recognised Quinn and that it had nothing to do with the blond she was currently missing.

Finn hesitantly met her eyes for a split second before diverting them to his shoes. "theykindathinkyourondrugs" he whispered in a single rushed mess.

Rachel's eyebrows furrowed "Repeat it again, but in English this time"

Finn clenched his eyes shut as he shakily yet slowly said the words out loud again. "They think you're on some kind of drug or something..."

The brunette's eyes widened in horror "What the fuck! Why the hell would they think that?" she asked panicked.

The boy shrugged helplessly "I don't know, you've been acting kind of weird lately. It's the only reasonable explanation. Besides, people still think it's weird that you smile so much now"

Rachel slowly stood from her chair to angrily glare at the boy and effectively silence his ramblings. "Your a moron!" she exclaimed loudly. "How could you even believe that yet alone not shut down the rumours as soon as they started?" Finn grew paler as the brunette hissed at him.

"Rach-I-I" he stuttered fearfully.

"Shut up and leave now!"

"But Rach—"

The brunette's right hand was shaking and fully intending to slap him hard across the face for his stupidity until they heard a soft knock on the door. Both sets of chocolate eyes snapped toward the doorway where a strange yet familiar presence was standing.

Finn stepped away from the fuming brunette and smiled sheepishly at her in hopes of calming her down. He smiled at the stranger, almost ready to hug him for saving him from Rachel's wrath. "I'll talk to you later Rach" he mumbled while ducking his head and brushing past the confused man.

Subtlety glaring at the retreating giant, the brunette took a calming breath and plastered on a fake smile as she fixed her gaze on the man. He stood tall and looked at her through chilling blue eyes. Rachel's smile faltered as her whole body froze over with tension. "I'm sorry to disturb you Miss Berry" the man smiled apologetically in a way that should have calmed her nerves.

The brunette knew that voice but no comfort was provided as the familiar tone seeped through her ears. Instead, his friendly tone made her blood thickly pump through her veins as her heart drummed in her chest. "No, it's fine" she managed to shakily choke out of her rapidly drying throat.

The man studied her almost worriedly before stepping into the room. He held out his hand politely "I'm Terrence Harper. I don't know if you remember me but we met at the grocery store"

Rachel relaxed a little at the distracting memory. "Oh yes! It's great to see you again Mr Harper" she hesitantly shook his hand for a second before he tightened his grip.

Terrence grinned "You too Rachel" the brunette pulled her hand away and internally cringed at the sound of her first name coming from his mouth.

Rachel turned around and walked toward her desk, trying to both put some distance between them and change the subject. "Sorry if I seemed rude earlier, I didn't quite recognise you without your hat and glasses"

The man smiled in understanding. "Well that explains why you looked like you had seen a ghost" he laughed obliviously as the brunette visibly paled. "So I was going through the list of schools that you provided me with and I honestly have to say that I like this one best"

Rachel nodded and motioned for him to take a seat. "That's great, I'll be happy to assist you with the enrollment process. Just bring me your daughter's documents when you can and I'll take care of the rest"

The man grinned at her which immediately caused her to tense again. "Thank you Rachel. I'll have everything ready by tonight. I knew my instincts were right about you" The brunette shifted uncomfortably in her chair, disturbed by both his tone and gaze on her. The woman could have honestly screamed in relief when the bell rang, signaling the end of lunch. "Well that's my cue" he laughed again humorlessly "I'll get everything organised and bring them to you soon"

Rachel nodded as they both stood from their seats. "Sounds great" she said with false enthusiasm as she walked him to the door. The man gave her one last chilling look before he left, leaving behind a terribly unsettled Rachel.

* * *

The remainder of the day went by without further unsettling interruptions. Rachel chose to wholeheartedly ignore and avoid speaking to any other staff members as they tried to talk to her. The abnormal beating of her chest was still evident even though Terrence had been long gone, but the brunette still could not shake the feeling she got when he spoke to her.

The drug rumors, Finn and the frightening man were all shoved to the back of her mind as she walked her students outside at the end of the day. Once they had left and before she could disappear back into the building to get her things and drive back to Quinn and Emily, another teacher had snuck up on her.

"Hey Rach, don't forget about the staff meeting we have today" he smiled warmly at her.

The brunette had completely forgotten that it was Tuesday and mentally berated herself for the slip up. "Oh Right, I'll be there in a few minutes" she politely smiled back at the older man who led them inside. Rachel parted ways with him soon after and headed toward her empty classroom.

Her phone buzzed shortly after she began searching for the device and she grinned when the caller ID lit up the screen. "Hey!"

Quinn smiled on the other end. "Hey Rach, how did everything go?"

"Everything was surprisingly great. How has your day been so far?"

"Amazing! I took Emily shopping and we met some of the locals. They're such nice people" she gushed happily.

Rachel bit her lip to hide the chuckle that was threatening to escape. "I'm glad you're enjoying yourselves. I'm just finishing up here now, I have to head to the compulsory staff meeting but I promise I'll drive home straight after."

Quinn went silent on the other end for a moment. "Staff meeting?" she questioned worriedly.

"It's only for half an hour" Rachel tried to sooth her worries while maintaining her own fluttering heart beat at the display of concern in her voice.

"Okay... just don't take too long. The house feels really empty without you."

Rachel nodded absently until she realised that the other woman couldn't see her. "I-I'll be there before you know it" she swallowed thickly, the sound of Quinn's affectionate voice already taking its toll. The blonds' response was interrupted when someone else's voice blasted through her phone. "Sorry Quinn the meeting's already started, I'll call you when I finish. Please don't worry, i promise I'll be fine." Both girls said their goodbyes as the brunette hastily made her way toward the teacher's lounge.

* * *

Rachel probably had the worst luck in the world, not only had there been a meeting that seemed to be dragging on forever but it was also dark outside by the time they finished. The brunette snuck out of the room quietly as they were dismissed and hid in her room until everyone left. The last thing she needed was for one of them to strike up a conversation with her, she was already late enough.

Once the coast was clear, she shot a quick apologetic text to Quinn and made her way outside to her car. Rachel's paranoia seemed to assault her intensely as soon as she set foot into the dark and vacated lot. She sped up her pace and could have sworn that she saw another shadow behind her.

Refusing to look behind her, Rachel clung to her bag and got ready to make a run for it until someone called her name. The brunette stopped dead in her tracks and slowly turned around to face the unwelcomed presence.

"Sorry if I scared you but I just wanted to hand these documents over before you left"

Rachel's eyes went wide as she took in his appearance in the dark and dimly lit parking lot. Her body shook violently as forgotten images from the night of her attack viciously flashed through her mind. She covered her mouth to silence the gasp threatening to escape her suddenly fragile body.

Her breathing was so deep and heavy that the man knew she had remembered. He took in her shaking form and clenched his fists as her heaved sobs surrounded them. The pained and frightened look in her eyes affected him in no humane way as his fingers brushed across the hidden knife in his pocket.

"There are camera's here" she shakily reminded him.

He shook his head and waved his index finger around in her face. "You're so thoughtful Miss Berry" he sarcastically replied. "Luckily for me, I already took care of those." He lifted up his shirt to show-off the gun he had concealed under there.

Terrence looked around their vacated surroundings before pinning her with her cold eyes and smiling wickedly at her. Rachel automatically took a few shaky steps back, knowing that her chances of survival would be zero this time. The whole time she had spoken to him, her body had warned her to run away. Now that she had finally made sense of the situation, Rachel knew that it was too late.

"I was wondering when you would finally come to your senses" he stated calmly, the evil glint still present in his eyes. "It's very unfortunate for you that it had to be in such a similar setting that it happened in last time. Brings back memories doesn't it?"

He stepped toward her painfully slow, almost as if he was teasing her. "What have I ever done to you?" she whispered through a painfully dry throat as he dangerously approached her.

The man physically stiffened at the question but he made no attempt to answer it. Rachel knew she couldn't run. It would be too easy for him, he would catch up to her in a matter of seconds and the action would probably result in more anger on his side.

Choosing to prolong the situation and distract him while she thought of a plan, the brunette took a few steps back again before clearing her damaged throat, "I-I don't even know you" she stated as he continued to close the distance between them.

He stopped for a split second to sneer at her. "Well...I know you very well Rachel. Do you know how much you ruined my life?" he laughed sadistically "Don't worry, I'll show you in a way you will never forget; Only this time, I'll make sure that I do my job properly."

"Who the fuck are you?" she screamed at him, the fear forgotten as her rapidly building anger burned inside of her. Memories of what he had done to her filling her with such hatred that she stopped stepping backward and waited for him to approach her. This time the brunette didn't care if she died, at least she would have done so with a little payback.

"Who I am doesn't matter. What I'm capable of is the more interesting question. You know I couldn't believe it when I found out you had survived. You took three bullets and a stab wound yet your still here. The same fucking slut you were four years ago. This time ill make sure all the blood is drained from your lifeless body before I leave. Your kids should enjoy the sight tomorrow morning. I can already imagine the look on their faces."

By the time the last words had processed in her brain, he was within her reach. Rachel quickly studied his hands to make sure that he wasn't holding any weapons before lunging toward him.

She slapped him hard across the face and elbowed him in the ribs before he quickly recovered and held her struggling arms. "You have to do better than that you bitch!" he spat while gripping her face tightly in his hand until she looked at him. "Look at me you fucking bitch! I want to see the life draining out of you when my knife goes through your heart."

He let go of her right hand while he reached into his pocket for his knife. Rachel desperately tried to push him away but even in her angered state, she didn't stand a chance. The brunette had no choice but to look into his sadistic eyes that glistened in absolute excitement as he bought the knife into her line of sight. "You see this?" he whispered against her lips. "This is the same one I used last time" he pulled away just enough to evilly grin at her as he clenched the sharp object and held it a short distance away from her chest. "Any last words?" he whispered in her ear, sending a frightening chill down her spine.

"Fuck You!" she sneered. The man looked at her for a second before pulling her closer and grazing the knife along her collar bone and down her rapidly beating chest.

"Fuck me? Hmmm that's not such a bad idea" Rachel's whole body tensed in complete terror as he painfully gripped her hips and let the knife rest flat against her chest before he attacked her trembling lips with his own. After the initial moment of shock had warn away, Rachel used the distraction and wasted no time bringing her hand up to the back of his neck to hold him in place as she viciously bit his lip. Before he could push her away or drag the knife through her chest, the brunette kneed him as hard as she could between the legs and fell backwards as he collapsed onto the hard concrete in pain.

Somewhere in the midst of trying to escape from his death grip, Rachel's hands had accidentally gripped onto something as she tried to break her fall. The heaviness in her palm went unnoticed as the man's pained curses filled her ears. Rachel quickly attempted to crawl far away from him but stopped short when his hand tightened around her calf. Still on an adrenaline rush and fuelled by panic, the brunette swiftly kicked him in the face and successfully freed herself.

Rachel climbed to her feet and turned around to face him as she backed away to avoid any surprise attacks. He blindly felt around for his knife before he looked up at her and froze as his gaze lingered on her hand. The brunette tried to move her hand out of his view until she felt an unmistakable heaviness encased in her palm. Her own eyes almost bulged out of her head when they landed on a gun_, his gun _and probably the same one that he had used during her attempted murder. Rachel's panicked state only increased when she held the deadly weapon up to her eyes. It was real and it was loaded.

The only place the brunette had even seen one was on Broadway but even then, the gun they used was a cheap fake. Not knowing what to do with the sickening thing in her possession, Rachel fully intended to throw it as far as she could while she made her escape. The plan seemed fool proof until she saw Terrence quickly climb to his feet and stampede toward her. Without thinking Rachel clutched the gun harshly in her hand and stumbled to escape. She blindly backed away and attempted to turn around and sprint before he could catch her but her lack of co-ordination only resulted in her falling backwards as her leg caught in the discarded bag she had dropped earlier.

Without even thinking, her mind completely forgot about the gun as her body tensed in preparation for the upcoming pain. Rachel's fingers accidentally clenched around the trigger and resulted in her firing the deadly weapon straight toward the seething man. A deafening gunshot and two screams later had the brunette clutching her ears painfully and sobbing at the realization of what had just happened. Cries of pain echoed throughout the whole parking lot as the brunette shakily opened her eyes to inspect the scene she had caused.

Terrence was lying on the floor and screaming in sheer pain. Taking it as a good sign that she hadn't killed him yet, Rachel scrambled off the floor and ran for her bag before taking off into the darkness and escaping the cries of agony. The brunette shoved the weapon in her bag before unlocking her car and speeding away as fast as she could.

She drove for about an hour before her phone rang. Rachel blindly felt around for the device in her bag, visibly cringing when her fingers brushed past the gun again. She clutched the device in her hand just in time for it to stop ringing. One quick glance at the screen notified her that it was already nine o'clock. Quinn's name caused her to feel a whole new wave of emotion that she had refused to feel ever since she had escaped her fate that night. Not wanting to speak to the other woman in-case she broke down, Rachel sent her a quick text and took off in another direction.

When she arrived at her destination two hours later, Rachel hesitantly pulled out the gun and dragged herself out of the car. She walked to the edge of the cliff blindly while she furiously wiped away at the evidence. If she had killed the man then she needed to get rid of anything that would link her to him. If he was still alive then she really needed to get rid of the gun in-case he tried to kill her with it again. The brunette took one last disgusted look at the cause of her pain before throwing it as hard as she could into the ocean.

As she made her way back to her car, she thought about Quinn and Emily but mostly about what they would think of her if they knew what she had been responsible for tonight. Rachel wasn't sure if she had become a murderer but she was certain that she didn't deserve the two innocent girls waiting for her at home.

With one final glance at her reflection in the mirror, Rachel broke down and wept, not only for her close call with death but mostly for the monster that she had become.

* * *

**Oh No...**

**Did you enjoy this chapter?**

**Tell me if it wasn't suspenseful enough for you and i shall fix it ;)**

**Seriously let me know what you all want to see and ill try and make it happen!**


	15. Chapter 15

**So glad you all enjoyed the last Chapter!  
**

**Are you ready for the aftermath?**

**I couldn't leave you guys hanging for long after what happened so i decided to give you an early update :D**

**Hope it answers some of your lingering questions...**

**Please review if you have time, I would really appreciate it :)  
**

**Okay so I'll shut up and let you read, hope you like it!**

**I don't own glee but that's probably for the best...**

**Enjoy! :)**

* * *

Rachel had become completely oblivious as to how long she had been crying in her car. The only ethical notion running through her mind at that traumatising time was that she needed help. The shock of it all was still freshly raw and weighting down heavily on her ability to cope but somewhere deep inside she finally came to the realization that she couldn't get through this alone.

Wiping her painfully sore eyes, the brunette reached out for her phone and dialed the only number that would come to mind.

"Hey Rach! I was wondering when you would finally call" the familiar cheery tone only made her sob harder. "Who do I have to kill?" the other voice asked deadly serious "Give me second, I'm heading to Finn's house now"

"No, It's not Finn" the brunette managed to answer through her hoarse throat. "Noah...I done something, something so bad...but it was an accident, I didn't mean it...oh god" the nights events clouded her mind once more and she found herself struggling to breathe all over again.

The other line went dead silent before the man's alarmingly calm voice sounded through her speaker "Where are you?"

Rachel sniffled "Please go to the school car-park, I need you to go there now...please"

"Rachel its okay, stay calm. I'm on my way now, don't hang up" Puck's comforting voice calmed her just a fraction until she heard his car stop. His footsteps echoed through the empty lot until she heard them come to an abrupt stop as a loud gasp seeped through the phone.

Rachel immediately tensed up and covered her mouth to stop herself from breaking down again. "Rachel are you hurt? Where are you? Please tell me your here!" Puck yelled frantically.

The brunette shook her head before answering. "It's not my blood...I shot Terrence"

Puck tried to calm his voice before speaking again, the last thing he needed was for Rachel freak out even more "Rach, who's Terrence and why did you shoot him?"

Rachel inhaled deeply before releasing a shaky breath. "He cornered me in the parking lot and tried to kill me...You read my police report about the incident in New York right?" The man hesitated before sheepishly agreeing, he knew Rachel didn't want anyone to know about it. "Terrence is the man who tried to murder me, he somehow found out I was still alive and came back to finish what he started"

"Fucking bastard!" Puck screamed angrily before the brunette heard him frantically searching around. "Fuck! He's not here!"

Rachel let out an audible sigh of relief. "Oh god I hope he's still alive"

"Me too!" Puck exclaimed angrily "I want to kill that fucking asshole myself!" Rachel inhaled sharply at the confession."Did he hurt you?" puck asked softly, almost afraid of the answer.

"N-No i got away before he could"

"Where is the gun Rach? I need to take it in for evidence so we can run his prints and track this bastard down." The brunette was quiet for a long time. "Rach, please tell me you have the gun"

"I-I got rid of it" she whispered after minutes of pleading from Puck.

"What do you mean?"

"I-I was so scared Noah! I thought I had killed him so I panicked and threw it away. I-I'm so sorry!" Rachel clutched the phone in a death-grip as she awaited his response.

The man clenched his fists angrily and willed himself to calm down "Okay" he whispered through gritted teeth."Firstly you're going to tell me where you are then you're going to tell me where you threw the only form of evidence we have against the sick bastard." Rachel flinched at the consequences she was about to face before she gave him the directions. "Don't move, I'll be there soon"

* * *

The brunette waited for a long while after the phone disconnected. The eerie silence done nothing to calm her bubbling nerves as she lifelessly rested her head upon the steering wheel. Before Rachel could comprehend what was happening, there were flashing lights surrounding her and a light knock on her window.

The brunette jolted awake both horrified and shocked that she had fallen asleep. It was still dark outside but she managed to make out Puck's face on the other end of the window. "Rach open up"

The brunette slowly rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and unlocked the door. "Sorry we took so long, It took a little longer than expected to get everyone together" Rachel looked around and noticed most of Lima's police force was there. "We're going to send a few guys underwater to look for the gun but in the meantime I need you to come with me to the police station"

Rachel's eyes widened in horror "A-Am I under arrest?"

Puck ran his hand over his shaved head before sighing loudly. "I'm going to be truthful Rach...throwing the gun away makes you look really guilty but I'm going to get you out of this whole mess so just trust me okay? Right now we're just going to take you in for questioning because we need to know everything that happened"

Rachel nodded before getting out of her car and allowing puck to lead the way toward his own vehicle. The drive back to Lima was spent with Rachel explaining in detail what happened while the man listened and tried to calm the frantic girl down.

Once they got back to the Police station, Rachel was immediately taken in questioning and gave a written statement of everything that had occurred. By the time they had finished it was ten in the morning and the brunette was utterly exhausted. Puck let her stay in his office while they sorted everything out in hopes that the brunette would get some well needed sleep. The first thing Rachel done as soon as she was alone was call Quinn whom was probably scared to death at this point.

Rachel internally cringed when she unlocked her phone and noticed the thirty five missed calls berating her. Her shaky fingers nervously dialed Quinn's number and felt guilt wash over her when the blond picked up on the second ring.

"Rach? Rach? Oh god are you okay?"

The brunette bit her trembling lips are the tired voice lulled her "Quinn...I-I.."

"Rachel please answer me! Are you hurt?"

The brunette held back a sob as she clenched the phone tightly in her hand, desperately trying to keep her tears at bay, "I'm not hurt" she finally answered.

Quinn let out a sigh of relief "Where are you? Why didn't you come back?" Rachel clenched her teeth at the vulnerable tone.

"Something happened last night after the meeting. I can't explain it right now. I'm so sorry for worrying you but it's not necessary, I'm safe and unharmed."

"Rach where are you?" Quinn answered as soon as the last word escaped her mouth.

"Don't freak out okay?"

"Rachel! Please!"

The brunette clenched her eyes shut tightly as she whispered the words "With Puck...at the police station"

The heavy breathing on the other line indicated that the blond was beyond worried at this point. Rachel bit her lip and tried to calm her "Everything is okay I promise. I'm almost finished here so please just stay there until I get back okay? I'll explain everything to you as soon as I walk through the door" when the blond didn't respond the brunette panicked "Quinn please promise me you won't do anything drastic. I need you to stay in that house" she pleaded.

After what felt like an eternity Quinn gave in "Okay...but if you're not back by 4 then I'm coming to find you"

For the first time in hours Rachel smiled "That sounds fair. I'm going to find Puck and tell him I'm leaving so stay put and I'll see you _soon_"

"That's what you said last time" the blond whispered sadly.

"I'm so sorry" the brunette whispered defeated. "I'll make it up to you"

"Just...Please just come home, that's all I need"

"I'll be there this time, I promise"

The two women ended the conversation perfectly in time for Puck to enter the room with a coffee in hand. Rachel gratefully took the steaming beverage and waited for him to give her the news.

"Do you want to hear the good or bad first?" Rachel shrugged as she took a sip of her drink and made herself comfortable on the couch. "Okay let's start with the bad... luckily you suck at throwing so the gun was easy to locate" the brunette glared at him "We tested it for finger prints but it seems that _someone_ had wiped them off" Rachel diverted her gaze in guilt. "We ran Terrence Harper's name through our data base but came to a dead end. No-one with that name matched the description you gave us so we've concluded that he probably gave you a false identity"

Rachel clenched her fists in anger. "So that's it?"

Puck shook his head and chuckled "No actually, I haven't made it to the good news yet" the brunette sighed in relief and impatiently motioned for him to continue. "All the security camera's surrounding the school were shot out. Luckily we managed to get our hands on some footage that was recorded from the building across the street. Fortunately for us both, your story checks out and it's clear that you shot him in self defense, so you won't get charged with anything"

The brunette clenched her heart in sheer joy as the good news processed in her mind. Without hesitation she jumped up from the couch and threw her arms around the grinning man. "Thank you so much Noah!" the hug was short lived as she felt Pucks's hands wandering to her backside. She slapped them away and rolled her eyes and the man's predictable behaviour.

"Sorry babe, It's not my fault your hot" he winked at her as she punched him in the arm. The pout forming on his lips was enough to make her burst into a fit of giggles and she was for once thankful for his inappropriate actions.

After the laughter had died down, Rachel realized something. "Wait...You said you had footage of what happened?" Puck nodded "Does that mean you can identify him?" she asked hopeful.

"Well the thing is that it's a little dark and blurry but I have some people studying it right now so hopefully we can get a good glimpse of him" Rachel nodded in understanding as a she stifled a yawn. "In the meantime you're free to leave so go home and rest. I'll keep you updated if anything happens"

"Thank you Noah, i don't know what i would have done without you" The man smiled fondly at her but thankfully skipped any crude remarks.

"Stay safe Rach, I assume you'll be staying at your dads? If not I'll assign someone as your body guard"

The brunette laughed until she realized he was completely serious. "I'm not going to be alone, I promise. Don't worry okay? I'll call you if anything happens" Puck hesitantly nodded and led Rachel to her car.

The brunette's fears instantly hit her in full force as she drove away from the precinct. Her attacker was still alive and out there, Rachel didn't doubt for a second that he would come after her once again. She debated whether telling Quinn the truth would be the right thing to do. The blond was already terrified of her ex husband and knowing that a murderer was after Rachel would only make matters worse.

Gripping the steering wheel until her knuckles turned white, the brunette forced those thoughts away and let her mind wander to memories of the woman she was dying to see. This time, Rachel was determined to make it home safely and fall asleep with Quinn and Emily by her side.

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**Why would Terrence give her a fake name and why does he hate her so much?**

**Hmmmmm thoughts?**

**P.s you guys are freaking awesome!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Firstly I would just like to thank all of you so much for reviewing!**

**I couldn't make you wait any longer when you gave me such awesome comments.**

**I'm not going to be able to update until saturday because i have alot of work to get through first, but the next update will surely answer some of your lingering questions. **

**I know we could all use some Faberry loving after today's HORRENDOUS glee episode (Apart from the amazing Brittany+Santana moment, seriously i didn't think i could love Santana more than i already did this season) **

**Don't you guys seriously hate Finn? I want that dude to get kidnapped and never be found again! **

**Anyways I'll shut up and stop ranting lol  
**

** hope you like the light chapter because i know we all need it :)**

**See you guys again in a few days.**

**Thank you again for reviewing, I seriously love your predictions so keep them coming! (also tell me what you want to see happen if you have any ideas)  
**

**I dont own glee but the mistakes are all mine (sorry i can be blind sometimes)  
**

**Enjoy! :)**

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Rachel nervously eyed the clock on her dashboard as she rapidly increased her speed. The brunette had been driving for what felt like days but the time only confirmed that she had been on the road for a few short hours. It was already three in the evening and with the promise that she made to Quinn, Rachel knew it was only a matter of time before the blond gave up on waiting and came to look for her.

The brunette smiled in relief as she breezed through the familiar route and caught sight of the hidden pathway to the cottage they had secretly been staying in. The girl drove through the surrounding bushes and trees as her lips subconsciously tweaked into a smile when the house came into view. Rachel's pounding heartbeat was masked by the relief and excitement she felt when her wandering eyes witnessed a flash of blond hair through an open window.

The brunette quietly drove up to the residence, doing her best not to startle or alert the two girls of her presence. Once she had securely parked her vehicle, Rachel hastily exited the car and almost ran to the front door where she was met with a dazzling pair of worried hazel eyes.

"Rachel!" the girl excitedly exclaimed as she tackled the brunette to the floor.

The older woman giggled as Emily's arms cut off her air supply. "Hey sweetheart" she cooed as the adorable child clung onto her for dear life.

"Rach I'm so happy your back, I missed you so much!"

"I missed you too, I'm sorry I took so long"

"It's okay Rach, I think you should apologize to mommy though. You made her cry while you were away"

Rachel stiffened as Emily's words sifted through her mind. The girl swallowed thickly and held the child just a little tighter as she heard unmistakable footsteps within her hearing range. The child released her hold on the older woman before beaming at her and dragging her toward the living room. "Mommy bought me a new copy of Wicked because I left mine at home. Please watch it with me Rach?"

The older brunette looked down into Emily's hopeful eyes and signature pout before reluctantly smiling at the child and nodding in agreement. As she sat down beside the young girl, Rachel subtly scanned the open area in hopes of spotting Quinn. Without her permission, the brunette's heart fluttered as her eyes landed on a very stoic looking blond leaning up against the door frame. Any hopes of being passionately embraced by Quinn went out the window as the girl clenched her jaw and exited the room. Rachel eyes widened at the return of Quinn's HBIC persona before she inhaled deeply and cursed herself for awakening the beast.

All throughout the rest of the day and against all her best efforts, Rachel was coldly ignored. The only attention she got was from Emily whom animatedly spoke about everything her and Quinn had done while the older brunette was absent. Rachel's warm smiles were abruptly brushed off as the blond completely ignored her presence and retreated to her room for the remainder of the night.

Rachel signed in defeat as she put Emily to sleep and made her way toward her own bedroom. The brunette's mind was on rapid over drive as she lay uncomfortably on her bed. The girl was stumped as to why Quinn had been treating her so harshly. It's like she didn't even care that Rachel was back. Rachel let out a frustrated groan as she restlessly turned on her side and clutched her pillow. Her body missed the warmth that Quinn had been providing her with since the night Rachel had painfully confessed her darkest secret.

Another agonising hour passed until the stubborn girl finally gave up and marched out of her room. She stopped in her tracks and inhaled a large amount of oxygen to calm her nerves as her fingers grazed Quinn's door handle. Knowing that she couldn't sleep until the blond spoke to her, the brunette steeled herself as she quietly turned the door handle and crept into the darkness.

Rachel bit her lip and approached the sleeping form slowly as to not scare the oblivious blond. When she was in touching distance of the girl, she couldn't help but reach out and run her fingers through the silky locks as a content sigh escaped beautifully pouted lips.

"Quinn..." the brunette whispered while gently caressing the beauty's soft cheeks. When the blond didn't respond or stir from her slumber, Rachel smiled adoringly before leaning forward and connecting their lips for a few short seconds.

"Rach.." the blond mumbled and shifted in her sleep when the brunette pulled away.

Rachel smirked smugly before leaning in once again and not breaking the kiss until she felt the other girl respond. Strong arms immediately wrapped around her neck and pulled her up onto the bed as Quinn pulled Rachel flush against her own body. All her previous trains of thought and exhaustion faded as the blonds' delectable lips needily melded perfectly against her own.

The need to be impossibly closer to Quinn surged through the brunette's entire being as both her arms wrapped around the blonds' toned torso and skimmed across the exposed flesh of her back. Quinn gasped as soft fingers sensually grazed her heated skin and Rachel took the opportunity to deepen the kiss as her tongue delicately connected with the blonds'. The brunette lost herself in the moment and didn't register the moan that escaped her lips until she felt Quinn abruptly push her away.

Any anger or frustration she felt when the warm body under her disappeared, suddenly dissolved when her eyelids fluttered open to expose a heavily panting and tearful Quinn, staring at her. "NO!"

The blond harshly whispered just as Rachel opened her mouth.

"No what?" the brunette asked confused.

"You can't just come in here and kiss me like that!"

Rachel's still tingling and bruised lips morphed into a frown "Why not?" she asked disappointed.

"Because I'm mad at you!" Quinn snapped like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Rachel cautiously approached the other woman who had somehow ended up on the other end of the bed. "I don't understand...you seemed perfectly fine on the phone" she whispered more to herself but the blond heard her anyway.

"Are you kidding?" she asked through clenched teeth "You disappeared and ignored me the entire time I tried to call you. Do you have any idea how scared i was? I didn't sleep at all because i felt physically sick at the thought of something happening to you! You didn't even have the decency to call me! You sent me two worded texts the whole time and ignored any other form of communication while I was dying to hear your voice. I just needed to hear you tell me that you were safe but it looks like I wasn't good enough for that either"

Rachel felt like she had been slapped in the face as the words viciously pierced through her heart. The brunette hadn't even realized that Quinn was suffering until now. The blonds' strained voice betrayed her angered demeanour as she turned away from Rachel in an attempt to hide her streaming tears.

"I didn't want to worry you Quinn, I'm so sorry, I had no idea..." The brunette pleaded but the blond still refused to meet her gaze. Rachel bit the inside of her cheek in preparation as she distanced herself from the hurt woman in front of her. She settled against the headboard but kept her eyes trained on Quinn who was wiping at her tears. Rachel never felt such an uncontrollable need to comfort anyone as she did in that moment. The only thing she wanted was to hold the other girl tightly against her own body but she knew Quinn wouldn't allow that before she heard the full story.

"You remember a few weeks ago when I told you about that weird guy I met at the grocery store?" Quinn's jaw clenched at the question but she still remained silent. "Well he cornered me in the parking lot after the staff meeting and I finally figured out why he made me so uncomfortable" Rachel saw the blonds' head turn toward her and she met her eyes as hazel orbs patiently awaited the answer. "Turns out I had met him in New York on the night of my 21st birthday...when he attempted to kill me"

The brunette looked away as the blonds' loud gasp and wide eyes stirred up her very own emotions that she had been repressing ever since the incident occurred. "He tried to kill me again but I miraculously got away after I shot him"

Rachel was expecting the long silence that followed the dark confession but she had in no way prepared herself for the pair of protective arms suddenly sheltering her from the stabbing pain in her chest. "Oh god...Rach...I-I..." Quinn gave up on that sentence the moment her gaze locked on pain filled chocolate orbs. "Did that fucking bastard hurt you?"

Rachel shook her dead as tears welled in her eyes "I shot him Quinn! He was running after me and I tripped. I swear I didn't mean to hurt him. It was an accident"

The blond disbelievingly started at the sobbing girl. "Rach he was trying to kill you AGAIN!" she half yelled but lowered her voice when the brunette looked away "It was self defence. I'm so sorry for not protecting you...I promised myself I would never let anything happen to you again" her voice wavered at the realisation that the brunette could have been murdered while she obliviously sat back, waiting for her to come home.

Rachel's head snapped toward Quinn again."I almost killed someone and you don't care? My shot could have been fatal!"

The blond furrowed her brows "You were protecting yourself... even though it was an accident. The bastard got what he deserved! God I wish I had been there for you, I'm so sorry"

The brunette stared at the sadness in the other girl's eyes as she felt Quinn's fists clench against her in anger. The blonds' tense body shook slightly as she fought to regain her composure. Rachel couldn't imagine being in her situation. Being ignored for days only to find out that your loved one had been on the verge of getting murdered was a horrific position to be put in. It was worse than being the person in danger because when Rachel looked into terrified hazel eyes, she knew that Quinn was hurting more than she had. The fear and guilt the blond was experiencing was almost paralysing. Knowing that your soul mate could have been taken away so quickly yet you were powerless to stop it would be an excruciatingly unbearable burden to carry.

"I can't lose you Rach, not again" Quinn whispered tearfully as she buried her face into the other girl's neck, desperately seeking her touch and comfort. The shock of it all was still strong as the realization of what had happened slowly unfolded in her mind.

Rachel pulled away from Quinn's grasp only enough to wipe at her fallen tears. The brunette didn't give the other woman enough time to miss her touch as she leaned forward to connect their lips once again. This time their kisses were attentive and full of the love they weren't ready to proclaim to each other just yet. Two pairs of lips slowly moved together in a secret and silent rhythm only their mouths could dance too. Time froze around them as Rachel shyly guided the blond on top of her and Quinn's fingers reverently traced the outline of her toned abs. Just as they had grasped the concept of perfection, a loud crashing noise broke them from their beautiful trance.

Emily's high pitched squeal echoed throughout the large house and without a second thought, both women hastily ran toward her. Rachel grasped Quinn's hand tightly as they ran toward the direction in which the noise had come from. Both women made it into the kitchen in record time where they effectively slipped and fell over each other, landing on the cold and wet floor with a loud thud.

Rachel landed directly on top Quinn who yelped in pain. Before the throbbing had a chance to register in their minds, both pairs of horrified eyes shot up to stare at the giggling girl who pointed and laughed at them without hesitation.

"Ouchh" Quinn groaned as the brunette tried to move. "Emily! What did you do!"

The young girl bit her lip and guiltily stared at her mother. "I-I was thirsty and wanted some milk but the carton fell out of my hands" the girls eyebrows furrowed for a second when her gaze lingered toward the other brunette. "Rach why is your shirt open?"

Rachel quickly detangled herself from the compromising position she had fell into with the blond. Her hands immediately flew to her shirt as she quickly tried but failed to re-do the open buttons on her pyjama top. Quinn chuckled and Rachel glared at her for opening them in the first place but the blond just shrugged and grinned at her while she stared at the still exposed flesh.

Emily stared at the two and huffed in frustration "Mommy!" she whined as the two continued to stare at each other. "Why are you looking at Rachel like you wanna eat her?"

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**Sorry about the last line, i couldn't help myself haha**

**What did you guys think of the latest glee episode? **

**feel free to vent out your frustrations, i would love to hear them!**


	17. Chapter 17

**Finally I'm back!**

**Sorry for the wait!**

**So this chapter kinda took me forever to write because I kept getting distracted...But its kinda long and alot happens so i hope you enjoy it.**

_**Firstly THANK YOU for the awesome reviews. I Update so frequently because your words are my motivation.**_

**Your rants were amazing! i loved reading everyone of them because you all made such good points! *Ryan Murphy should take the hint***

**Seriously at least give us a damn Faberry friendship!**

**Okay ill shut up and get over it lol**

**So i should stop rambling and let you start reading because im sure your dying to know the answers :P**

**Thank you so much for reading and i would greatly appreciate it if you would take the time to review/comment! **

_**I don't know when I'll be able to update again but I'm guessing it will be in a few days.**_

**I don't own glee (If i did Quinn wouldn't be such a damn cheater!)**

**Lol Enjoy! :D**

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The beaming rays of the beautiful morning sun illuminated through the open windows accompanied by a warm breeze in which stirred the raven beauty from her blissful sleep. Rachel slowly opened her heavy eye lids and smiled at the safety cocoon that Quinn had nestled them within. The blond was tightly pressed up against the brunette's back while her arms protectively wrapped around the smaller girls waist. The warmth radiating from her immaculate body was enough to lull Rachel back into her earlier slumber but just as her she was about to let sleep overtake her, the irritating ringing of her phone snapped her back into reality.

Rachel groaned and cursed the device before quickly reaching for it before Quinn woke up. Luckily they had both shifted toward Rachel's side of the bed so the annoying noise was silenced without having to detangle herself from the safety of the blonds' embrace.

"Hello?" the brunette answered sleepily, not even bothering to look at the caller ID.

"Hey Rach! Sorry did I wake you?"

All signs of sleep immediately vanished as the familiar voice spoke to her. The brunette's eyes immediately widened in both panic and interest as she attempted to sit up. Her failed attempt at moving resulted in a loud verbal protest from Quinn, whom tightened her hold and nestled her face more securely into the back of Rachel's neck. The brunette froze in awe as the sleeping beauty mumbled what sounded suspiciously like "Mine" before relaxing her hold a little.

"Shit" Rachel whispered as a blush coloured her tanned cheeks. The phone was still gripped in her hand but remained forgotten as she lost herself to the softness of radiating porcelain skin that was encompassing her own form.

"Oh my God! You got some action last night didn't you?" the brunette's head snapped toward her cell phone once again as the excited voice reddened her cheeks further "When did you start banging chicks Berry?"

"Shut up Noah!" she hissed, hoping that it would cover up her embarrassment.

"That's so hot! Do I know her?"

Rachel buried her face in her pillow in irritation. "No you don't know her so just drop it. Why did you call me?" she asked impatiently, already wanting to end the call.

"C'mon babe don't be like that!" he whined and for a moment the brunette completely forgot that he was a grown man.

"Not that's its any of your business and I'm sorry to disappoint you but we did not sleep together...I mean yes she's sleeping next to me but we did not engage in sexual intercourse" she explained as her breathing sped up at the thought of doing sexual things with the blond.

"Damn it! Well when things get sexy feel free to call me. I can give you plenty of tips in return for some juicy details"

Rachel's jaw clenched at the man's remarks. She knew that Puck was just messing around but the cogitation of someone else thinking of Quinn in that way made the brunette's stomach twist.. "Bye Noah" she whispered, trying to keep her voice as low as possible while unsuccessfully masking her annoyed tone.

"No wait!" the man pleaded. When Rachel didn't hang up he sighed in relief "So the reason I really called was to tell you that we may have gotten a lead on your case. The good news is that we identified his car from the video surveillance and can conclude that he's fled Lima but the bad news is that we still haven't figured out his real identity. That bastard is very smart"

The brunette gripped her phone in a death hold and bit the inside of her cheek to help distract from the grizzling reality of the situation. "Do you know where he is?"

Puck remained silent for a moment "We tracked him as far as Cleveland before we lost him again."

"Fuck!" she whispered trying to remain calm as her once perfectly pitched voice wavered. "H-He's looking for me isn't he?"

"Rach I'm not going to lie to you. We think he's trying to throw us off track and stalling until everything cools down a little before he comes after you again. It's safer if you come back to Lima in the meantime so we can protect you when he tries again"

The brunette clenched her eyes shut tightly as the too familiar tears stung chocolate orbs. "I-I don't know if that's a good idea Noah...We're safe here"

"We're?" the man questioned in an almost confused manner.

"Yes Noah, I have others to worry about other than myself" she tried to cover the accidental slip up. "I'll let you know what my decision is by the end of the day—"

"Actually you can tell me when you get here, I need another statement of what happened in New York. I'm sorry to drag you all the way back again but we have a few things to show you that might help you remember"

"Remember what?"

"The parts that you're having trouble with. On the night of the first attack, you told us that he was screaming things at you but you couldn't make out what he was saying. We're hoping that this new evidence can trigger something in your memory that might help us identify him"

Rachel bit her lip in contemplation. "I'll have to ask—I mean yeah what time do you need me?"

She could practically feel Puck smirking at her through the phone. "Wow Rach you must really like this girl huh?"

"NOAH!" She hissed angrily

"Okay Okay Fine!...If you could get here by 6 it would be great"

Rachel looked at her nightstand where the clock was comfortably placed. Thankfully she hadn't slept in so it was still early in the morning which meant they had plenty of time to prepare for the long drive back to Lima. Movement behind her alerted her that Quinn was slowly waking up. "Yeah okay I'll see you then" the brunette blurted out in her haste to end the conversation before Quinn spoke and Puck figured out who the mystery woman was.

"Great! So Rach if you change your mind and want a threesome–"the brunette cringed at the mention of sharing the blond with anyone else and promptly ended the call before Puck could finish his crude suggestion.

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After breakfast Rachel explained the situation to Quinn who refused to let the brunette go back alone after the incident that had occurred the last time. Knowing that the psycho was still looking for her and that Mark was probably close by too resulted in the brunette to deny the blond her wish of accompanying her.

"No Quinn, you need to stay here with Emily where it's safe, I can't have you running around Lima where your ex-husband might be lurking!"

"You honestly think I'm going to let you go back without me? What if Puck's wrong and that fucking bastard is still there?"

Rachel huffed in defeat and crossed her arms defiantly over her chest. "I won't put you in danger"

Quinn mimicked her movements and stared the other stubborn woman down "If you go then I'm coming with you" the brunette looked at her disbelievingly and shook her head. "I promised myself that I wouldn't let anyone hurt you ever again. This time I'm not letting anything jeopardize that"

Rachel's tense posture softened at the determination in the striking hazel eyes and she blushed a little at the blonds' subtle confession. "Quinn please" she protested suddenly weak in the knees as the blond smiled knowingly at her.

Quinn beamed at the effect she had on the other girl "You can't win thi—"

"I'm Bored!" Both women turned to stare at the pouting girl in the doorway. "I miss my musical's Mommy! I already watched Wicked a hundred times and I've memorised the whole cast interviews as well. I can't live like this, I need variety!" Emily whined as she wiped at the invisible tears on her face.

Quinn raised an eyebrow and held back her laughter "I think we found your clone" she mouthed at Rachel whom was grinning at the young girl's familiar antics. "It's okay baby, we're going back to Lima for a few days and you can watch all your old musicals there"

Emily's eyes widened in excitement while Rachel's did the same but in shock. The younger girl jumped up and down ecstatically before running out of the room to pack her belongings. The older brunette turned toward a smirking Quinn who just shrugged her shoulders innocently before following her daughter's lead. "Using Emily to get your way? You know that's cheating Quinn!" she yelled at the retreating figure who laughed all the way to her room.

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Once the three girls had safely made it back to Lima, Rachel drove them to the blonds' apartment. After determining that nothing looked suspicious, they slowly made their way inside and checked the whole house before deeming it safe and secure enough to stay in for the remainder of their trip. Both women knew that it was still dangerous to stay there but somehow knowing that her own attacker had left town and Mark still hadn't found them, proved to be a major relief.

After an early dinner, Rachel reluctantly parted from the two girls and made a quick stop at her fathers home before heading to the police station. The brunette had called her dads almost every night but their worries were never successfully masked unlike Rachel's lies. The girl felt terribly guilty but she knew that her parents would be more than terrified if they knew the truth. The last thing she needed was for the men to worry about her every second she was away from them. When they had found out the truth about what happened in New York, it had broken them and Rachel knew that they didn't deserve to feel that kind of pain again.

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Puck had greeted her when she arrived at the precinct. Their early conversation was clearly still fresh in his mind as he wiggled his eyebrows and winked at her suggestively. The brunette shook her head in annoyance and punched him hard in the arm causing him to yelp out in pain while his co-workers watched on in amusement.

Once their playful banter was out of the way, Puck snapped back into professional mode as they spoke about the first attack in graphic detail. Rachel almost broke down on more than one occasion but she held herself together and continued on with determination.

The new evidence were a few pictures of the two crime scenes she had refused to look at before along with a blurry picture of him and the gun she had shot him with. Unfortunately for them, nothing triggered anything even remotely useful and Rachel left with a fresh sense of anxiety and frustration.

The brunette left the station suddenly feeling exhausted and relieved that she didn't have to look at the gut wrenching pictures again. Burning images still in her mind, the brunette made her way back to the blonds' apartment in dire need of a soothing shower.

The darkness and empty streets of Lima helped in no-way to relieve the grueling few hours she had been through. It was already ten o'clock by the time Rachel stepped through the threshold and into the now silent apartment. Cautiously locking the door behind her, the brunette made her way upstairs and into Emily's room in which was nosily blasting some movie she didn't care to identify.

The tiny brunette looked up and smiled before pausing the movie and sitting up. "Rach I missed you!" she hugged the older woman and dragged her to sit down beside her "Mommy's in the shower and I don't know where she put my Funny Girl DVD. That's your favorite movie right?"

Rachel smiled at the younger girl "Yes it is!"

Emily beamed "Me too! Do you wanna watch it with me?"

The older brunette laughed before nodding "Sure but that means we have to find it first, do you have any ideas of where it might be?"

Emily stayed silent as she concentrated "I think mommy hid it her from me after she found out I watched it instead of doing my homework. She usually hides things in her room where I can't reach them" Rachel laughed and lifted the girl in her arms as she walked them to Quinn's bedroom.

The search was short lived when the older brunette reached up into the blonds' closet and found a whole stash of her daughters confiscated DVD's in small box. They both grinned triumphantly as Rachel handed the case to the joyful child. Putting the box back in place was a little harder than expected thanks to Rachel's unfortunate lack of height. After a little struggle, she eventually got it right but managed to discover what seemed like a photo album hidden under a few things beside it.

Emily waited patiently before she watched the older woman freeze in place. "Rach?" she asked worried.

Rachel snapped out of her haze and looked down at the child before offering her a encouraging smile. "Sweetheart, why don't you go ahead and start watching the movie and ill come join you as soon as I finish getting ready for bed?"

The younger brunette nodded in confirmation "Okay Rach, don't take too long" she answered while practically running to her room.

Once Emily was out of sight, Rachel listened for any signs of Quinn but sighed in relief when she heard the shower water still running. Not wanting to waste any time, Rachel reached into the closet again and pulled out the extravagant album. Her eyes raked over the silky material and stunning design as her fingers traced over the edges to slowly reveal its treasured contents.

Rachel was looking forward to discovering pictures of Quinn in her childhood or Emily as a infant. If she were being truly honest, the brunette was mostly looking forward viewing a part of their lives that she had missed out on. Maybe somehow it could have made up for the lost time they could have shared if their feeling were accepted and shared earlier in their lives.

Everything that the brunette was expecting to find in that album was turned upside down. A cold chill ran down Rachel's spine as she took in the first photo. The realization of what she had come across made her body twist in guilt but she still couldn't look away.

She had unintentionally found Quinn's wedding album.

Rachel's mouth fell open at she tried to comprehend the beauty staring back at her from the portrait. Quinn was without a doubt, the most beautiful thing she had ever laid eyes on. The picture was of the blond standing alone with her bouquet of flowers as she looked into the camera and flashed a blinding smile that deemed human eyes unworthy of its witness.

Rachel's smile slowly dropped as she stared at the frame. Quinn's smile was breathtaking but it wasn't the same genuine smile she knew. To anyone else, the blond looked nothing short of joyful but the brunette knew better. Quinn's eyes looked sad and tired, like she had been up crying all night. Rachel quickly flipped the page to find another picture of the blond with her parents. The same artificial smile locked in place.

Quinn looked miserable and Rachel felt both relief and sadness. Relief for being the blonds' only love and sadness because of all the hardships she had to endure while Rachel lived across the country oblivious to the pain she was responsible for causing.

For a moment Rachel zoned out as visions of her and Quinn's future wedding day filled her mind. Just as quickly as those images appeared, the brunette shoved them away but continued to smile in excitement of that day to come. Just as the shower water stopped, Rachel snapped out of her badly timed thoughts and diverted her attention back to the album in her grasp.

Knowing that she didn't have much time, the brunette quickly flipped through the pages, lightly skimming each one and pausing for a few seconds each time Quinn's face appeared. Everything seemed completely normal, except it was far from it.

Just as she was halfway through the album, her eyes fell onto the very same person her mind had been trying to avoid. Rachel gasped and quickly flung the book across the room with such power than it hit the wall with a loud thud. Her hands felt like they had been burned as fearful tears streamed down her face. How could it be? No it just wasn't possible! Maybe she was seeing things?

The brunette blindly ran toward the book and shakily re-opened it while praying that her mind was playing tricks on her. She flipped through the various pages and came face to face with multiple images of the same person. She clutched her eyes shut and inhaled a deep breath before hesitantly opening them again only to be met with the same horrific face.

All the information and signs had been right there in-front of her but Rachel had missed each one. She quickly backed away from the book until her back hit the edge of Quinn's bed. The brunette sobbed quietly as every blacked out memory clearly flashed in her mind. Her shaky hands pulled at her hair desperately trying to stop the assaulting memories hitting her with violent force.

Rachel's body twisted in disgust and utter shock and she crawled her way into Quinn's adjoined bathroom to empty the contents of her stomach. Thankful that the blond had chosen the large bathroom across the hall to shower in, the brunette heaved until she could swear she tasted blood. Finally releasing her death grip on the undeserving toilet, Rachel crawled back into the still empty bedroom, pausing often to hold her head as it threatened to explode from the throbbing pain of twisted realization.

Trying her best to muffle the shattering sobs, Rachel clenched her eyes shut and ripped out a random photo of the person before shakily standing of her feet and making her way out of the apartment before Quinn found her. She heard the blond calling her name as the door closed but Rachel didn't falter. She flinched as the door slammed loudly but ran before the blond could come after her.

Without hesitation she powered on her engine and sped away until her stomach twisted again and was forced to pull over to rid herself from the tension. This time Rachel saw the traces of blood on her own hands as she got back into her vehicle and drove away to an unknown destination. The picture on her dashboard mocked her with such hatred that the brunette crumpled it up and almost threw it out the window.

Her blurry and tear stained vision forced her to stop in the deserted highway as she clutched onto the last remains of her sanity.

How could this be possible?

Why her?

Did she deserve this?

Was it revenge?

Why the hatred?

Was this all another one of the blonds' evil plans to destroy her?

Was Quinn...Involved?

Was she responsible?

Did she send him?

Was everything they shared a lie?

Why?

Why?

Why?

Rachel hit her steering wheel repeatedly as the questions assaulted her mind. Nothing made sense anymore. As much as she tried to put the pieces together, it all ended up resulting in a jumbled and confusing mess. Somewhere in the depths of her mind, the brunette knew she should've gone back and talked this through with Quinn but her insecurities stopped her. If the blond was in any way involved in her detriment then Rachel knew it would break her beyond repair.

The doubt was better than a confirmation of her worse nightmare.

The brunette angrily threw her phone behind her when it rang, the unmistakable crack made her grimace when it hit the window. Not wanting to hear the infuriating device ring any longer, Rachel got out of the car and slammed her door hard enough to shatter the windows.

When the noise was somewhat silenced, she sunk to her knees in despair as more escaped tears fell onto the hard concrete below her. Not knowing how to cope with the pain, the brunette screamed in agony.

Nothing had hurt this much before.

Each time Quinn's face appeared like a bright light in her darkened mind; Rachel sobbed louder and screamed harder until her voice was hoarse, dry and rivaled the damage surgery had done to it.

Finally after the tears stopped falling and her battered body numbed from the assault, Rachel dragged herself back into her car and drove to the first person that would understand her. Without a minute of apprehension, the brunette parked in the familiar space and located the damaged picture before clutching onto it once again, making her way into the familiar building and into the familiar office where she was greeted with the person she was looking for.

"Rach? Are you okay?"

The stoic brunette nodded before throwing the abused picture onto the desk in front of her. "Look at it Noah" she ordered in a cold yet emotionless monotone.

The man stared at her for a moment before nodding and hesitantly picking up the crumpled portrait. "Fuck!" he swore as he abruptly stood from his seat to approach her. "Where did you get this?" he asked hurriedly, not once taking his eyes off of the picture. "What the fuck? Is that Quinn?"

Rachel flinched at the mention of the blond's name. "Yes" she whispered as her damaged voice failed her.

"Where did you get this Rach?" Puck asked slowly, as if he were speaking to a toddler.

The brunette met his eyes and swallowed thickly as tears began to blur her vision once again. "I-I Found it" she offered lamely.

Puck's jaw clenched "Rach-"

The brunette stopped him before he could finish.

"His name is Mark Collins and...he is Quinn's ex husband"

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**I Applaud you all for getting it right!**

**I must warn you, the excitement and drama has just begun...**

**Was Quinn involved? Hmmmmm**

**Thoughts?**


	18. Chapter 18

**Sorry for taking longer than usual to update but the combination of work/Uni is turning out to be pretty cruel...**

**I promise to try and update by Saturday so keep an eye out for the next chapter then :)**

**Thank you all SO MUCH for your kind reviews, I honestly don't think i would have updated today if it wasn't for them.**

**So people who think Quinn wasn't involved should enjoy this chapter haha I don't like typical drama so i hope you all find this to be a nice break from it.**

**I should shut up and stop rambling because I know you really want to find out what happens...**

**I really hope it's not disappointing!**

**More problems will arise after this chapter...  
**

**Sorry for any errors or mistakes you find, they're all mine because i was too tired to read properly!**

**I don't own glee otherwise Faberry and Britania would rule!**

**Enjoy! :D**

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Puck's jaw was wide open as he clutched the heavily disfigured picture in a death grip. His glassy and unfocused eyes stared on in disbelief before he composed himself enough to breathe. "What the fuck?" he asked again, not quite believing the sight before him.

The brunette watched on almost painfully at his angered expression. She tried to look away from his intense gaze but he pinned her viciously with his confused yet questioning eyes. "Noah..." she tried to explain but her brain lacked the function to think of anything even remotely believably to say. Even though Rachel was angry and hurt, she knew better than to throw Quinn under the bus.

"Rach...this is serious, I need you to tell me where you got this from"

The brunette bit her lip but remained silent as Puck continued to advance on her. "Please...I-I can't talk about this right now. I promise that I'll explain everything later okay?"

The man visibly shook with aggravation "Why is _Quinn's_ husband after you? Did that fucking bitch plan this?" he snapped as his fist connected with the already worn desk in front of him.

Rachel flinched at the unexpected action before she felt anger stirring in the pit of her stomach. "Don't you dare call her that Noah!" she bit back almost instantly.

Puck completely ignored her remark as his breathing picked up "Why the fuck are you protecting her? Wasn't all the pain she put you through in high school enough?"

"She's not the same person as she was back then. Quinn wouldn't do that to me!" the girl harshly whispered through gritted teeth.

The man grinned and pointed a finger at her "Ah ha! So you _have_ been in contact with her!"

Rachel's eyes went wide. She had completely forgotten about their secret _'friendship'_. "Umm no? I-I accidently ran into her in...New York a few years ago she seemed like a whole new person"

Puck shook his head "You're a horrible liar. What are you hiding?"

The agitation, hurt and chaos from the hours before her visit to the police station were still evilly lurking behind her barely composed surface. The brunette inhaled a large amount of oxygen and bit the inside of her cheek harshly to ground herself before she took all her pain out on the undeserving man in front of her. " Noah... I just gave you the name of the man who robbed me of everything good in my life, yet you still stand here asking me absurd and unimportant questions. This has nothing to do with Quinn so can we please try and catch this psycho before he finds me?"

"Rach-" Puck almost begged as he took another step toward her.

"No Noah! Please just find him..." the cruel reality of the situation finally dawned on her. The consequences of cheating death twice only meant that he would be more determined to finish her. "It's a miracle I even survived the first two attacks. I really don't think I can get through the next one if he gets to me again. H-He won't stop until I've stopped breathing. You know what the funny thing is Noah? I don't even know what I done to deserve such hatred" her dejected whispers finally got through to the hesitant man as he took in her broken and scared appearance.

Puck swallowed thickly as tears started cascading down the raven beauty's face. He stood idly for a second before he pulled the distraught girl toward him. Rachel sunk into Puck's embrace but broke down even more when she realized the wrong pair of arms were around her. The man was comforting but nothing could ever make her feel as safe or calm like Quinn could. The gesture only caused her more internal torment when she begrudgingly realized that the blond was irreplaceable in her heart. The yearning for her would never stop just like her hyper alert body that craved Quinn's presence during every second of the day. Even when Rachel was tightly pressed to the blonds' body, she could never ever get enough.

The lingering feeling of doubt and deceit fiercely clawed at her brain as she pulled out of the man's tight grip. Rachel wiped her eyes on last time before clearing her hoarse throat. "Thank you Noah, My dads are probably worried so I better get home. Please call me if anything happens."

Puck nodded and led them toward the brunette's car. "Be careful Rach. Leave everything to me, I won't let _anyone_ hurt you okay?"

Rachel smiled and got into her car. She waved at the man one last time before she fired on her engine and disappeared out of sight. Unfortunately for the brunette, she didn't expose the double meaning behind Puck's words. The man was hell bent on destroying anyone who played a part in her demise even if it involved the same girl he crushed on all throughout high school.

Push held onto the bridge of his nose in fury as he hastily dialled a familiar number. "Hey Joey, Its Puck...I got a lead on the case. Yeah I know who was responsible for the whole thing. Listen carefully because I need you to find and locate the whereabouts of 'Quinn Fabray' for me"

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Rachel drove around aimlessly and wholeheartedly ignored the sound of her phone ringing constantly somewhere in the backseat of her car. She really wanted to talk to the blond but something kept holding her back. The terrifying reality that meant the blond might have been involved scared the brunette beyond belief. The thought alone was more frightening than the emotions she felt when Mark's almost ended her life or when she found out she would never be able to sing again.

Rachel's car subconsciously parked outside her parent's house before she paid any mind to where she was. The brunette honestly didn't even remember driving there in the first place which seemed strange because the last thing her mind comprehended before it went blank was waving goodbye to Puck.

The brunette's eyes strayed toward her dashboard and she gasped when the time revealed that it had passed two in the morning. If her calculations were correct then Rachel had left the station more than two hours ago. She groaned and buried her head in the steering wheel as her reckless driving complemented her sudden insanity.

Not liking her new train of thought, the brunette retracted her keys from the ignition and slowly lifted her head to peer at her childhood home. Unsurprisingly all the lights were off which meant that her parents had surrendered to sleep long before she even arrived. She didn't blame them though, only crazy people drove around unconsciously at night.

Rachel had eventually reached the point where she was seriously considering sleeping in her car. The very thought of being alone was pleasant but she couldn't help the loneliness that repeatedly kept nagging her. The sound of the familiar ringtone once again interrupted her positive thinking and the brunette cursed out loud before turning in her seat to silence the annoying device.

After some trouble, Rachel finally located the screaming phone and ignored its protests when she declined the number. Her brows furrowed when she noticed the long list of missed calls all from the same person but the brunette couldn't deny her irregular and unsteady heartbeat when her eyes traced over the name. Mentally berating herself for being so weak and gullible, Rachel started her car and drove to the undesirable location.

Once the brunette was parked, she clenched her eyes shut tightly and sunk into her seat. Her stomach churned and twisted violently in her stomach at the thought of what she was going to do once inside the premises. The once safe haven would now be remembered as the place where Rachel Berry was shattered beyond repair.

Once the seed of doubt was planted, Rachel had surrendered herself to torture until the unwanted truth came out. If the brunette hadn't been so scared of the results, she would have tackled the incident head on but somewhere in the back of her mind, the brunette wondered if Quinn was still the same manipulative girl she knew in high school.

Images of the blond sifting through her photographic mind instantly halted when frantic knuckles collided with her window. The brunette's head snapped toward the intrusion but her panic instantly morphed into something akin to guilt when her gaze lingered on tear-filled hazel orbs. Quinn resumed her hard knocking when chocolate eyes maintained unmoved from her own. Rachel snapped out of her daze when she heard the shaky velvet voice call out to her like a mantra.

"Rachel, Rachel! Please open the door" Quinn begged as she read the girls hesitance.

Without thinking, the brunette once again returned her gaze toward the almost sobbing blond and felt her whole resolve vanish. Quinn looked visibly shaken and terrified even though she could clearly see the brunette staring at her with wide puppy eyes. Rachel hadn't even noticed she was crying until she felt warmth streaming down her face. The blond followed the movement of her tears and began to forcefully pull at the car door, desperately trying to get it open so she could get to the broken girl before the brunette could run again.

Rachel shook her head and rid herself of any doubt before she unlocked the door and instantly felt Quinn's relieved body embrace her own. The brunette buried her face into the softness of the blonds' neck and finally allowed herself to break down as the nights events once again surfaced. Quinn remained silent as she tightened her hold on the sobbing girl in her arms while regularly kissing her temple to console her.

The brunette at this point couldn't deny that Quinn cared about her. Her apprehension and negativity melted as she allowed the other woman's warmth to seep through her entire being. She clung to the blond and bought her impossibly closer, craving the intimate touch and feel of the porcelain skin against her own.

Rachel hadn't noticed that her sobbing had subsided until she felt Quinn whisper in her ear. "Please talk to me" she pleaded as the brunette sniffled against her skin.

"It's nothing" Rachel lied after she felt Quinn's own fallen tears cascade down her neck.

"I'm so sorry Rach, I-Is it because of the wedding album? I saw it scattered across my room when you left. I swear he never meant anything to me. Please believe me when I tell you that you're the only one that I have ever wanted... It will always be you Rach, even he was smart enough to figure it out"

Rachel reluctantly pulled away from the girl as her eyes searched through hazel for any lies. When sincere honesty stared back at her, the brunette found herself weeping in relief. Quinn didn't wait for the waterworks this time, she gently cupped Rachel's face before melding both their lips together in a passionately needy kiss. The brunette didn't even protest when she felt the other woman lifting her out of the car but instead wrapped her legs around Quinn's waist in encouragement. Neither of them knew which one whimpered at the action but Rachel knew she was the one to take advantage of it when her tongue slipped through the blonds' lips to deepen the kiss.

Eventually the need for air got to them both as they parted breathless. "What do I mean to you Quinn?" Rachel asked before she could stop herself. No matter how much she denied it, the brunette needed to hear the words more than she needed oxygen.

The blond opened her eyes before placing a chaste kiss on irresistibly plump lips "You mean everything to me" she answered truthfully as she looked into chocolate orbs with conviction. "I love you Rachel"

The brunette bit her lip as she unsuccessfully held back joyful tears "Say it again" she whispered against the blonds' lips.

Quinn smiled and breathed a sigh of relief at the other woman's expression. "I love you Rachel Berry. I have always loved you and will continue to do so until I die of heart failure" she sealed her promise with a kiss in which turned heated almost instantly as the brunette clung onto her for dear life.

The seed of doubt had finally died within Rachel as she continued to kiss the blond with every ounce of love she could show without actually saying the words in return. They blissfully lingered in that happy moment until time became a forgotten factor.

Unknown to either of them, the treacherous foundation of the seed was very much alive in the person they least expected it from...

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**I smell trouble...Next chapter should be interesting ;)  
**

**I didn't know whether you guys would be comfortable enough for the relationship to progress in more intimate ways...**

**Lets have a vote:**

**Who would like sexy times? and;  
**

**Who wants to keep things clean?**

**Let me know because your opinion matters! :)  
**


	19. Chapter 19

**Okay Im back like a day early because your all so awesome!**

**I'm delaying the drama until the next chapter in favor of some Faberry Loving because of all the reviewers who were sexually frustrated on Quinn and Rachel's behalf...  
**

**You all wanted sexy times and that's what your going to get! **

**If you don't want to read about them getting intimate then i suggest skipping this chapter because most of it is sex lol...sorry :)**

**NOTE: This is the FIRST time I've ever attempted to write a sex scene so i apologize in advance if it doesn't meet your expectations...I spent most of the day trying to write this and it was harder than expected so forgive me if it sucks.**

**Thank you again to all my readers and amazing reviewers! I seriously love you guys!**

**Sorry for any mistakes or spelling errors you find, i try to edit it but somehow end up missing stupid mistakes...**

**Enjoy! :)**

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The two women continued their heated exchange outside in Quinn's underground car-park until Rachel asked the one question not completely dissolving in the back of her mind. "Where's Emily?" she whispered breathlessly against the blonds' lips.

Quinn smiled adoringly as she leaned in for a quick chaste kiss. "She's in the car" Rachel's eyes went wide at the thought of the girl being left alone. "Don't worry she's asleep. I was heading out to look for you but you drove in just before I left"

Without another thought, the brunette intertwined their hands and led them to the blonds' car in which was thankfully parked a short distance away. A smile slowly crept up on her features as she witnessed the small child sleeping peacefully in the backseat of the vehicle. "She looks so much like you" Rachel whispered as she opened the car door and gently carried the little girl into her arms.

Quinn quietly chuckled as she followed the two brunettes inside. "Even though she looks like me, Emily is practically a mini Rachel Berry" The other woman beamed at the comparison before she spun around to catch the blonds' lips in a surprise kiss. Their soft lip lock ended much too soon as Rachel parted and headed toward Emily's bedroom.

When the younger girl was safely tucked in, the older brunette kissed her forehead softly before turning around to make her way out of the bedroom. Her small smile morphed into a bashful grin when her eyes landed on Quinn watching her from the doorway. Rachel approached the still girl only to frown when she noticed tears in her eyes.

"I'm sorry, I just can't believe all this is happening"

Rachel's frown deepened at the confession but her confusion still remained. "What do you mean?" she asked cautiously, worry evident in her tone.

Quinn smiled sadly and shook her head "You're still here after everything I put you through. I've caused you nothing short of pain for the majority of your life yet you still stand by my side without hesitance when I need you" the blonds' voice was shaky and laced with emotion as she continued. "Rach...I know you don't want to hear how sorry I am for my past mistakes, but I just can't sit here and pretend that I deserve you without you knowing how much I regret it all"

The brunette swallowed the large lump in her throat as gently took the girls hands within her own. "Quinn, do you truly love me?"

The blond nodded frantically as she pulled the other girl in for a tender hug. "I love you _so_ much Rachel" she whispered against her neck, effectively causing the other girl to involuntarily shudder. "I don't think I'll ever find the right words to do express how much you mean to me. Telling you that 'I love you' doesn't seem like enough" she felt Quinn tighten her grip as her neck started to dampen "I wish I could make you understand how deeply I feel but It feels so impossible. No matter how much I search for an explanation, no word seems worthy"

The brunette smiled absently and tried to control her erratic breathing as her heart fluttered, she didn't think it was possible to feel such strong emotions because of those simple words. The cliché' associated with the word 'love' vanished the moment Quinn said the words out loud because this time they actually meant something to Rachel. For the first time, the brunette understood what real love felt like.

"Do you know what they say?...Sometimes when words aren't enough, actions can fill the void" she kissed the blonds' cheek as Quinn lifted her head to look back at her questioningly. Rachel bit her bottom lip before caressing the other woman's hand and leading them down the hallway and into the bedroom they now shared. Once inside, Rachel locked the door and turned to look at Quinn who was staring at her with adorably wide eyes. The brunette laughed as she witnessed the realization finally dawn on the previously oblivious girl.

"You...Me? Rach...I—" Rachel watched the girl struggle to compose herself for a moment before surging forward to calm her nerves with a lingering kiss. The brunette could feel both their heart beats pound erratically in their chests as the blond pressed them closer together. The innocent move quickly turned heated but stopped abruptly when Quinn pulled away. "Rach, I-I'm not very experienced at all, I've had sex like twice and I've never been intimate or made love to anyone"

Rachel pulled away to look at the nervously rambling girl "Just twice?" she asked in shock. "Weren't you married for 4 years?"

Quinn laughed nervously "Well...Yes. The first time I ended up pregnant with Emily and the second time I think it was a few years later when I was drunk. I really didn't like him touching me" she shrugged as if it didn't mean anything.

Rachel stared on, eyes wide and mouth open. "He lived with you for all that time and didn't get to touch you?" Quinn raised an eyebrow but nodded. "Wow...poor guy, I would have died"

The blond watched on bemused as Rachel's brows furrowed. "Don't worry, your still more experienced than me so—"

"Wait what?" Quinn asked as Rachel shrugged innocently "I don't even remember my encounters which means that it's nearly impossible for me to be the more experienced one unless you were a virgin..." Now it was the blonds' turn to stare on in shock as Rachel diverted her gaze and blushed.

"I had a plan okay! I was supposed to take over Broadway and do a few movies while everyone fawned over me. Then after I had accomplished my dreams, I would get married and have sex at 25. It was perfectly normal and romantic"

"You were serious about that?" The blond whispered in bafflement.

"Of course I was Quinn! I broke up with Finn in high school and dated a few people in New York but nothing was serious enough to make me re-consider my choices"

"B-But Finn said—"

"Finn's a liar" Rachel dismissed simply by waving her hand. "He couldn't even get past first base without chanting mail-man and running off to the bathroom"

Quinn burst into a fit of giggles, quickly followed by Rachel who shook with laughter. "Do you remember that time when Finn supposedly broke his nose during football practice?" the brunette continued to laugh but nodded "I'm the one who really broke it! I punched him because I overheard him bragging about taking your virginity. I don't think I've ever been that mad in my entire life"

"He said what!" Rachel shrieked, effectively seizing the other girl's laughter.

"Don't worry Rach, I think I'm the only one who believed it. Besides I threatened and taught him a lesson so you shouldn't let it get to you" Quinn could feel an old Rachel Berry rant coming on so she took the moment to seize the other girls lips, pleasantly catching the other girl off guard and silencing her in the process.

Rachel responded instantly by wrapping her arms around the taller girls neck and running her hands through the exposed blond tresses. "You were always there for me even when you were pretending to hate me" She kissed Quinn again "I know you're the one who made the slushies stop" the blond blushed as her hands settled on Rachel's hips. "I know you're the one who put notes in my locker when I would miss a day of school" she kissed her way up Quinn's neck and across her jaw line until she met her lips again. "And I know that you're the one who sent me gifts on Valentine's Day so I wouldn't feel lonely...Oh and let's not forget the way you got Karofsky expelled when he tried to slushy me in the cafeteria a month before graduation"

Quinn's eyes remained closed as Rachel took in her beauty. "I want to show you in my own way how I feel about you if you'll let me" the blonds' eyes fluttered open as she swallowed thickly. "I want you to have all of me Quinn"

The blond nodded and bit her lip as she reclaimed the brunette's swollen lips with undying passion. Her arms securely wrapped around Rachel's waist as she led them backwards toward the bed. When the back of her legs hit the wooden frame she lifted the brunette up and switched their positions before gently climbing on the bed and lowering Rachel on her back. As they parted for breath, the blond took the opportunity to kiss and nip at the brunette's deliciously exposed neck. She sucked on Rachel's pulse point earning a moan of approval as her hands wondered the brunette's toned torso.

Once she had Rachel panting beneath her Quinn kissed her way back up the brunette's neck, whimpering in need when the other woman's hands slipped under her shirt and explored the new territory. While Rachel's fingers traced her skin with precision, the blond connected their lips with vigour as she lowered herself in between the brunette's legs. Rachel responded eagerly by wrapping her long limbs around Quinn's waist to meld their bodies tightly together.

Not liking the barrier between them, the brunette broke the kiss to rid the blond of her shirt, immediately prompting Quinn to do the same with hers. Once both items of clothing were carelessly thrown on the floor, they both gazed at each other with incredibly dark eyes as they took in the heavily breathing body in front of them. Quinn's eyes roamed Rachel's flawlessly tanned skin, trying her hardest not to groan at the sight. Rachel chest was heaving, showing off her immaculate breasts that the blond was itching to touch. Quinn lazily traced the outline of the girls abs, as she lowered herself on-top of the brunette, not missing the way Rachel was lustfully staring at her exposed skin.

The brunette was only broken out of her trance when Quinn's lips once again attached themselves to her neck before the blond slowly descended to pepper loving kisses all over her collarbone. Rachel whimpered and ran her hands over any skin she could find before coming into contact with blond hair. The brunette immediately seized the opportunity to gently tug at the blond locks, successfully gaining the blonds' attention and connecting their mouths as soon as Quinn gazed deeply into her eyes.

Rachel kissed Quinn with every ounce of love she could muster before they parted for air. The need for oxygen was short lived as the blond reconnected their lips and allowed her hands to wonder the long expanse of smooth contours. Rachel gasped into Quinn's mouth when the blonds' hands brushed against her sensitive chest. Taking it as a sign of approval, Quinn caressed the perky breasts over the thin material of Rachel's bra and grinned when the brunette moaned at the simple contact.

Rachel's breathing picked up even more as the blond moved to undo her bra. She quickly tossed it toward the growing pile of cloths before staring on in amazement at the sight before her. "Quinnn!" the brunette whined when the blond took too long to touch her. Quinn broke out of her Rachel induced lust and kissed the brunette to silence her before caressing the now naked breasts with her hands again. Both women gasped at the first contact as Quinn ran her hands over the hardened peaks causing Rachel to shudder and let out a sexy moan of approval.

"You're so beautiful Rach" Quinn husked into the other woman's ear before kissing her way down toward her breasts. One she reached her destination, the blond took an awaiting nipple into her mouth and sucked on it while her hand worked on pleasuring the other.

Rachel's whole body withered underneath the blond as she continued on with her ministrations. Just when the women moved on to her other breast, Rachel bucked her hips, desperate for any sort of friction "Oh God, Quin...Please! I need you"

The blond gently bit down on the hardened peak before soothing it with her tongue, causing Rachel to let out another pleasurable groan. Quinn teasingly took her time while she planted open mouthed kisses in between the valley of the brunette's breasts before she kissed her way up Rachel's neck to suck on her rapidly beating pulse point. The blond was so caught up in Rachel chanting her name like a mantra, that she didn't even notice the brunette's hands had disappeared from her back until they re-appeared on her breasts and gave a firm squeeze.

Quinn let out a low throaty moan against the skin on Rachel's neck which in turn caused another round of unbearable arousal down both their cores. While one hand occupied the blonds' breasts, Rachel used her other to sneak around her back and expertly undo the girls bra. Quinn reluctantly sat up on her knees to discard it and was quickly followed by Rachel who immediately took the newly exposed skin into her mouth. The blond shook in arousal as Rachel flicked the rosy buds with her tongue and sucked on them greedily. "R-Rach...Don't stop!" the brunette hummed in agreement, sending jolts of pleasure through the blonds' entire body before switching breasts and repeating the movement while her other hand moved downward to trace the blonds' quivering abs.

When her hand tugged at the blonds' belt, Quinn pulled her upward toward her mouth and they resumed their heated needy kisses from earlier. "Too much cloths" the blond murmured against her lips to which the brunette eagerly agreed. Rachel leaned forward gently to kiss the blonds' exposed neck and pepper her face with affectionate kisses.

"Make love to me Quinn" Rachel whispered as her eyes flickered open to meet the Hazel orbs that were staring at her with love and adoration.

The blonds' heart fluttered as she nodded and guided the brunette back toward the pillows. "I love you Rachel" she whispered as she melded their lips together. This time their kisses were slow and so full of emotion that both of them fought hard to hold back their tears. Quinn continued to kiss her with slow passionate purpose until their lungs threatened to collapse. She placed a series of small chaste kisses upon the brunette's full lips before she descended down her body once again. Rachel didn't miss the way she lingered and paid extra attention to her scars or the way her fingers traced every line on her body almost as if she were trying to memorise them.

The blond quickly discarded the brunette's jeans and stared on in memorization at Rachel's almost naked body. She had to mentally shake her head to focus as her eyes roamed across the never ending expanse of stunning tanned skin. The brunette smiled and lifted herself on her elbows "Baby, I really need to see you" the pet name came out before Rachel could stop it but she really didn't seem to care in that moment. Quinn met her eyes and bit her lip bashfully before nodding and moving to discard herself of her own cloths.

The brunette felt like a shivering mess when she took in the blonds' completely naked form. "I've never seen anything so beautiful..." she trailed off as she pushed herself off the mattress to join Quinn whom was still staring at her with dark hooded eyes. The blond met her halfway and didn't waste any more time without touching the beautiful dark hair girl. Their kisses were still slow but picked up as Quinn draped herself over the brunette once again. They both gasped at the skin on skin contact but the blond wasn't satisfied. She hooked her fingers around Rachel's underwear and pulled away from pouting lips to rid them both of the one thing keeping them apart.

She slowly and teasingly slid down the soaked material and watched on in excitement as Rachel's centre was revealed. Eyes still glued to the beautiful sight, Quinn licked her lips and moved forward. Both hands massaging the smooth skin of Rachel's calves, knees and thighs before lowering herself to place kisses on the never ending legs. "I've been waiting ten years for this moment" she admitted as she trailed open mouthed kisses dangerously close to the girls swollen and drenched sex.

Rachel shook with anticipation "Baby come here" the brunette pleaded, desperately needing to feel the blonds' whole body closer to her own. Quinn looked up before placing a kiss above where Rachel needed her most and kissing her way up the brunette's body until their mouths met again.

The brunette held the blonds' hips gently and lowered her onto her thigh; Quinn bit back a moan and fought to keep herself from moving against it as she settled against Rachel comfortably. The blond draped herself over the other woman's body as they continued their heated exchange. Both eyes remained closed and their foreheads rested together as they broke apart. Quinn's fingers delicately danced down toward the brunette's centre but stopped to seek approval when they came across neatly trimmed curls.

"Please..." Rachel pleaded as they both opened their eyes. Without further hesitation, Quinn continued her journey until she felt the brunette moan and buck her hips. Finally realizing that she had found the other woman's nub, she teasingly began slowly rubbing it in soft circles. The blond moaned when she went lower and found her fingers completely covered in the girl's arousal. She bit her lip to keep from thrusting against Rachel's thigh but found it almost impossible with the brunette moving erratically beneath her.

Quinn groaned as she continued to explore the brunette's core and began to increase the pressure on the girl's nub. Rachel gasped and hastily crushed their lips together as she began to frantically move against Quinn's hand. The blond moaned loudly into her mouth as Rachel's thigh began to repeatedly rub against her own drenched sex. "God Quinn! Please I need more" the brunette begged between pants.

Quinn began to slow her movements to look directly into the other woman's eyes as she searched for any signs of hesitation. "Are you sure you want to give this to me Rach?"

Rachel wrapped her arms around the blonds' neck and nodded "Positive"

They sealed it with a kiss just as Quinn seized her ministrations and moved toward her warm entrance. "Tell me if you want me to stop or if it hurts okay?" she kissed the nodding brunette's cheek and slowly began to enter her with her slender finger. Rachel gasped and tightened her hold on the other woman.

Quinn stopped to study the brunette's face, not knowing whether to continue "Keep going" Rachel panted, answering the blonds' silent question. The blond gently pushed passed the barrier and stopped to pepper the girls face with loving kisses. Rachel was breathing heavily while clinging onto the blond almost painfully. "It's okay...keep going, just slow for now okay?"

"As you wish sweetheart" Quinn answered as she bent down to close the distance between their lips and slowly pushed all the way inside. Once she felt the brunette's body relax she pulled out painfully slow and went back in with the same steady speed. A few minutes passed until all the tension left Rachel's body and she began moving her hips in time with the other woman's hand.

"Faster" she panted as she buried her head into the crook of Quinn neck. The blond quickly obliged and quickened her movements in time with Rachel's hips. "More...please baby I need more" she pleaded breathlessly into the blonds' ear.

Quinn smiled and sucked on the brunette's pulse point causing her moans of pleasure to increase. Not once stilling her movements, she entered the girl with two fingers and groaned in ecstasy when one of Rachel's hands found her painfully aroused clit. "Oh god, Rach!" she moaned as the other girl quickened her pace in time with her movements.

Pants, moans and whimpers filled the room as they both neared the edge they had been walking along most of the night. Just when Quinn thought more pleasure wasn't possible, Rachel's other hand found her breast while her mouth latched onto that spot behind Quinn's ear that made her shudder. "Fuckkkk! Right there baby, don't stop please don't stop..." the blond panted while trying not to lose focus.

Not one to be outdone, Quinn thumb quickly found the brunette's own clit and began mimicking her previous actions with more pressure. Rachel arched into her touch and began mumbling incoherent sentences into her ear. "Shit! That f-feels soooo good, I'm s-so closeee!"

Quinn opened her eyes to look down at the withering girl beneath her. "Open your eyes Rach, I want to see you" When Rachel tore her eyes open to meet the blonds' she didn't expect to see so much emotion swirling in the hazel orbs. "I –L-Love you, P-Please don't ever forget that"

The confession, pleasure and love all came crashing down on the brunette in a split second as she tumbled over the edge in complete bliss. Quinn followed closely behind as they fought not to break down with the intensity of it all. Once both their bodies went limp and their earth shattering orgasms passed, the tears that welled in both their eyes were unstoppable.

Rachel felt dampness on her neck, where Quinn's face was buried. Before she could question it, the blond tenderly kissed any skin she could access before moving off the brunette's spent body to lie next to her. Rachel frowned at the loss of contact before moving toward the porcelain form and wrapping her arms around the blonds' waist while her head rested under her chin. Quinn pulled her in closer and held her firmly against her own body as their laboured breathing calmed down.

"Wow" Rachel whispered once the blonds' heartbeat had calmed.

Quinn laughed and wiped at her eyes "That was amazing"

The brunette hummed in agreement as the blond started rubbing her back in comforting circles. "I never knew it could feel like that"

Quinn kissed the top of her head "Me neither, we should have started sooner" she joked

Rachel laughed softly and intertwined her hand with the blonds' free one before bringing it up to her mouth to kiss her knuckles. "I'm glad I waited for you. I doubt anyone could compare to that"

Quinn blushed and buried her head in dark raven locks. "I can't believe you're finally mine...thank you for giving me something so precious, I feel like the luckiest person on earth"

Rachel smiled at the blonds' bashfulness "So does this mean we're officially together?"

Quinn furrowed her brows "I thought we were already kind of together when we kissed in the car two months ago..."

The brunette smirked "Really? Oh crap! I really shouldn't have kissed Finn two weeks ago..." when she felt the blond tense and still beneath her, she burst into a fit of giggles "Quinn, I'm kidding! The thought alone is very disturbing" The blond visibly relaxed but remained silent. "hey whats wrong?" Rachel asked worried.

Quinn looked down to meet her eyes. "Nothing, I just hate him. I would probably break his nose again if I saw him"

Rachel laughed at the blonds' antics. "You're jealous of Finn?"

Quinn bit her lip and blushed before quietly confessing "Every time I remember him kissing you, I feel like slapping that stupid man child"

Rachel smiled adoringly "Hmm well you're the best kisser I've ever come across so there's no competition"

The blond grinned before claiming the brunette's lips "Guess what?"

Rachel grinned back before excitedly meeting playful hazel eyes "What?"

"I love you" she whispered while cupping the girl's cheeks.

The brunette bit her lip and said the first thing that came to mind.

"Ditto"

* * *

**Was it any good? **

**Seriously tell me if it sucks and I'll try and improve on it for next time or avoid writing it again haha**

**Please comment/Review and tell me what you thought**

**If there's enough demand i might update again tomorrow :)**


	20. Chapter 20

**As promised, here is the next installment!**

**I'm SO RELIEVED you guys enjoyed the love scene. I was so nervous that it might have ruined things so thank you for your support!**

**I know your all waiting for the drama and this had PLENTY of it!**

**You might have some questions at the end of it but don't worry they'll be answered during the next chapter which should be up in a couple of days...**

**Thank you so much for you kind words and support! It means alot to know your all enjoying the story :)**

**Thank you again for reading and SPECIALLY to those who take the time to review and share their thoughts. I love you guys!**

**Sorry for any mistakes or grammatical errors you find...I'm blind, lazy and tired sometimes lol**

**I don't own glee but you all knew that already...  
**

**Hope you enjoy! :)**

* * *

The warmth and safety in which she was nestled within had Rachel waking up with a smile that rivalled the ones she use to have when the brunette was just a child. Pleasant dreams were a very rare occurrence for the girl since her tragedy so when she awoke with a soft glow and beaming grin, Rachel knew she had never been happier or more content with her life than she was in that moment with Quinn.

The brunette spun around in the blonds' secure hold to face the beauty before her. She bit her lip and blushed as memories that they had created the night before evaded her mind. Kissing Quinn's cheek softly as to not wake her, Rachel laid back on her side to watch the blond in her most peaceful moment.

Even in her slumber, Quinn wouldn't allow the distance between them. Rachel smirked when the blond unconsciously shifted closer until they were breathing the same air. Not wanted to stir the other woman from her sleep, the brunette wrapped her arms around Quinn's waist and buried her face in the porcelain skin of her neck then chuckled in amusement when the blond finally relaxed at the touch.

After a few moments in pure bliss, the sound of a familiar ringtone sounded and jolted the brunette from her moment. She gently detangled herself from the blonds' grip and reached for the phone on the nightstand.

"This better be important" she warned as she answered the call.

"Am I interrupting _something_?" the man quipped with an evil smile in his voice.

"Shut up Noah! You have 5 seconds to explain why you called at this early hour—"

"Its 10am Rach" Puck laughed "Sounds like something kept you up all night"

The brunette blushed furiously and was immediately thankful that Puck couldn't see her quickly reddening face. Her eyes wandered to the still sleeping beauty in her bed as her lips unconsciously morphed into a grin. The sound of a hearty laugh on the other line snapped Rachel out of her inappropriate thoughts and she mentally cursed herself for staying silent too long. "Seriously Noah is there a reason you called? I'm really not in the mood for your crude remarks"

When the laughing failed to seize, Rachel rolled her eyes and hung up. Exactly ten seconds later her phone sounded again and she picked up with an exaggerated sigh. "Last chance" she stated coldly and unimpressed.

"I'm glad you finally got some ass—"

"NOAH!" Rachel hissed as her face burned up.

"Alright Fine! But at least let me congratulate you, seriously I'm getting hot just thinking about it"

The brunette gritted her teeth in irritation "Stop being such a fucking pig and tell me why you called Puckerman"

The man laughed again but covered it with a cough "Oh...Um right! We finally got a lead but I can't discuss it over the phone right now so you'll have to come into the station today."

Rachel's brows furrowed "Why can't you tell me now?"

Pucks voice suddenly took on a very serious tone "Rach, It's pretty serious. I need to talk to you in person"

The brunette was suddenly very nervous. _What if Mark was back in town? _She thoughtas her jaw clenched in both fear and anger. "What time?"

"If you could come in at three it would be great. Oh and cancel any plans for the day, it might take a while"

Rachel nodded solemnly before swallowing thickly. "Okay...I'll see you then"

* * *

The brunette sat at the edge of the bed thinking about all the serious complications that could arise. The last thing she needed was for Mark to come back and for Quinn to learn the truth. Rachel feared that scenario because the blond would think she were to blame for everything. In reality and truth, the brunette didn't blame her for anything. Quinn was innocent in Rachel's eyes and she was in no way responsible for her ex husbands actions.

Unfortunately for both of them though, the blond would surely think that she was at fault. Rachel held the bridge of her nose to steady herself and calm her nerves. _Maybe Puck just located his whereabouts? Maybe they already arrested him and wanted to let me know in person? Maybe the asshole fled the country?_

Rachel allowed the positive thoughts to fill her mind and flow freely for a while before she felt the bed shift under her. Before the brunette could turn around to inspect the movement, she felt smooth arms embrace her and pull her back toward the bed. Rachel's body immediately relaxed as Quinn's intoxicating scent permeated her senses. "Good morning sleepyhead" the brunette whispered as her fingers explored messy golden locks.

"Mmmm G'mornin" Quinn mumbled against the crook of Rachel's neck."What time is it?" she asked lazily as she kissed the heated skin beneath her.

The brunette shivered as her eyes searched for the clock. She honestly didn't know how long her thoughts had trapped her. "It's almost one" she replied with wide eyes.

"What?" Quinn's head suddenly snapped up and peered down into bemused chocolate orbs. "I slept for that long?"

Rachel nodded with a grin "Looks like someone exhausted you last night"

The blonds' cheeks coloured but she still managed to smirk behind her bashfulness. "They might have, but it was worth every second"

The brunette laughed and shook her head "I'm sure it was...all three rounds of it"

Quinn slapped her arm playfully "I don't remember you complaining"

Instead of verbally responding Rachel attacked the blonds' lips and flipped them over so that she was straddling her. "I wouldn't be against attempting to improve our record. I think we could do at least four right now" she whispered seductively against Quinn's grinning lips.

The blond connected their lips once again but pulled back shortly with a confused frown on her face. "Why aren't you naked?" she asked as her hands travelled under the hem of Rachel's shirt.

Rachel lost focus for a few seconds as the blonds' hand made contact with her rapidly heating flesh. "Ummm...what?...Oh, I got up to make breakfast for Emily and put on some cartoons to keep her occupied. Noah kinda woke me when he called earlier"

"Puck called you?" Quinn asked with a worried look and stopped teasing the skin underneath her finger tips "What did he want?"

Rachel bent down to kiss her in hopes of calming the alarmed woman down before answering her questions. "Yes and he wants me to go see him at three. Don't worry its nothing serious" she lied and internally cheered when Quinn relaxed again.

"Why couldn't he tell you over the phone?" the blond asked after a few seconds of silence.

The brunette shrugged innocently "He probably wants to pressure me into telling him about the hot new chick I'm dating"

Quinn raised an eyebrow "Oh really? Do I know her?"

Rachel grinned devilishly and pretended to think "Hmmm I'm not sure...do you know a Melissa Michaels?"

* * *

The day had been going exceptionally well so when Rachel left the apartment with a bright smile and headed toward the station, she didn't expect anything out of the ordinary to happen. The brunette did feel slightly paranoid about leaving Quinn and Emily alone, but she tried to put her fears to rest by telling herself that she would only be gone for a few short hours.

She arrived at the precinct with ten minutes to spare and strolled toward Puck's office without a second thought. The room was unusually quiet as she approached it, but the door was left unlocked. The brunette entered the room and took a seat on the couch before her eyes fell upon an envelope with her name on it.

Noticing Puck's familiar handwriting, Rachel hesitantly got up and made her way toward the man's desk where the letter was carefully placed. The brunette's eyebrows furrowed but she picked up the letter to open it regardless.

_Hey Babe, I have to run an important errand but I shouldn't be too long. I didn't want to call you and get in the way of your lady lovin again so I decided this was my safest option. My phone will be switched off so you won't be able to call me in the meantime. Make yourself comfortable and the Puckasaurous will be with you shortly ;) _

_P.S. I'm still turned on from our phone call this morning and will always be available if you wanna share the juicy details with me :P_

The brunette rolled her eyes and made her way back to the couch while making a mental note to punch the man when he returned. The letter was quite odd especially for Puck but Rachel didn't let it faze her as she sunk back against the comfortable material and closed her eyes. That night and afternoon had exhausted her so the brunette took the opportunity to catch up on some rest.

A couple of minutes passed until Rachel found herself dozing off and before the brunette could comprehend what was happening, she was awoken by someone softly shaking her.

"Rach, wake up"

Rachel opened her heavy eyelids slowly and groaned when her vision cleared to reveal Puck's worried expression. "You're back early" the brunette mumbled as she attempted to sit up.

Puck laughed and looked at his watch "I'm glad you think so, I was actually scared to come back because I thought you would try and kill me"

The brunette's eyebrows furrowed as she rubbed her eyes. Her gaze lingered toward the clock on the wall and her eyed widened in realization. "You made me wait for three hours?"

Puck smiled sheepishly and backed away slowly. "Sorry, It took longer than expected. Not like you noticed i was gone anyway" he attempted to reason with her.

Rachel glared at him before stretching her legs to stand up. "You're just lucky I feel asleep. Now why did you call me? I need to leave soon so you better hurry up and talk"

The man diverted his gaze to his desk before taking a seat behind it. 'Oh Yeah, so I interviewed someone of interest today...Turned out to be pointless so I won't bore you with all the useless details"

"Who was it?" Rachel asked curiously as she leaned against the wall directly opposite him and crossed her arms loosely over her chest.

"Just someone who used to know Mark" Both cringed at the name. "Anyways turns out to be nothing"

Rachel raised an eyebrow "So why did you need me to come in?"

Puck met finally met her eyes "Just wanted to go over some details about the second attack"

"Again? How many times do we have to discuss this? If I remembered anything else then I would have come to you first"

Puck sighed nervously "But Rach-"

"Noah" The brunette raised her voice and cut him off. "Why did you really call me? You said it was important and couldn't discuss it over the phone. Why are you acting so weird? First the letter and now this..."

"Hey! You like letters!"

Rachel allowed herself to smile at the pout forming on his lips. "Yes, but letters from you are odd and creepy" she smirked as the man exaggerated his pout. "Now why don't you tell me what's really going on?"

"Okay fine...I just wanted an excuse to hang out" he grinned at her frown before continuing. "Let me take you to dinner and you can tell me about your new lady friend" he wiggled his eyebrows as she glared at him again.

"No" she stated simply.

"Alright fine, then let me buy you some dinner and we can catch up. How does that sound?"

Rachel studied Puck carefully before slowly approaching him. "What are you up too Puckerman?"

"Nothing!" he raised his hands in defence "Why is it so hard to believe that i just want to hang out for a while? I need a break from work and you're a good distraction"

The brunette snorted "Sorry I can't today"

"Please Rach?" he begged "I promise I won't ask you inappropriate questions, I just...need someone right now" Puck looked at her with sad eyes and watched on as she slowly started to give in.

"Alright fine! But if you make any vulgar comments I'll leave"

Puck smiled triumphantly and held out his hand so they could shake on it. "Deal!"

Rachel shook her head at his weird behaviour "I can't stay out for too long so let's make this quick"

The man nodded as he proceeded to lead them out of his office and toward the car.

* * *

To say Puck was acting weird was an understatement. He was unusually quiet and his normally crude remarks were nonexistent. Rachel wanted to ask him what was wrong on several occasions but he would just shrug it off and change the subject every time she even hinted at the question.

Eventually she gave up on trying to get through to the stubborn man and just sat back watching him. Puck looked like he was trying to solve an impossible equation. His eye brows were furrowed and he would smile at her too often. The most disturbing part of all was that he actually listened to her and payed attention throughout the entire meal even though he looked worried.

After an hour, Rachel excused herself with much protest from Puck. "Come on Rach, we just got here!"

The brunette laughed at his pleading but shook her head "Sorry Noah, I really have to get home. We'll do this again sometime" Puck diverted his gaze and mumbled something incoherent under his breath. "What?" Rachel asked, not understanding anything he said.

"Nothing, I'll see you later Rach" The brunette smiled at him and went to turn around but was stopped when Puck gripped her wrist lightly and pulled her into a hug. "I-I...Just be careful okay? I know that I can be a jerk sometimes but I really care about you Rach" he whispered almost inaudibly against her ear.

The brunette pulled out of their tight embrace to look at the man questioningly. "Are you sure you're okay?" she asked while checking his forehead for any signs of sickness.

Puck smiled "I'm fine Rach. Drive safe and...please just remember that I do everything to protect you" before the brunette could ask what he meant, the man pulled away and exited the restaurant. Rachel stood there completely baffled for a moment before she shook her head and went to follow him. Apparently she had taken too long because by the time she made it outside his car was already driving away, she saw Puck wave at her from the distance before he completely disappeared from her sight.

Rachel made a mental note to talk to the man tomorrow just to make sure he was okay before heading toward her own vehicle. Once safely inside, she checked her phone but was immediately disappointed to find no texts or missed calls from Quinn. Normally she would have received at least one text when they were apart for a few hours. She felt her stomach twist painfully in fear and panic. She needed to get home fast.

This day had gone from amazing to completely confusing. All of a sudden everyone was acting out of character. Rachel fired on her engine before quickly speeding toward Quinn's apartment, not once caring about how much laws she was breaking in the process. Once she made it to the underground car park she felt her internal organs shift in agony when she noticed that the blonds' car was missing.

The brunette sloppily parked her vehicle before running out of her door and making her way toward the apartment. Her hands immediately reached into her pocket and shakily fumbled for her phone before she gripped it tightly in her palm. She kicked the door open and rushed into the elevator while her hands worked at dialling Quinn's number.

Rachel unsteadily held the phone to her ear as she exited the elevator and unlocked the apartment door. Feelings of agonizing despair rushed through her as she felt her entire blood source run cold. Not only was Quinn's car missing, but her call went directly to the blonds' voicemail which had never happened before.

The brunette sprinted into the apartment and checked the entire bottom floor for any sighs of either girl. When the search came up empty, she ran upstairs to find the same results. She sunk to her knees in panic as her hands fumbled with her phone to dial the blonds' number again. Her eyes searched around frantically for any signs of foul play and she let out an audible sigh of relief when she found nothing.

She shakily rose to her feet and attempted to control her breathing as her call went to voicemail for the hundredth time. She dragged her heavy feet to Quinn's bedroom and felt tears immediately sting her eyes when the bed came into view. Her heart pounded uncontrollably in her chest as she opened the closet.

"No No No No!" she shouted as the empty space was revealed. Without thinking, she ran out of the room and toward Emily's where she flung open all the draws to find exactly the same thing. All their cloths and personal belongings were gone.

Quinn had run away and left her behind.

Rachel sobbed into her hands as she sunk to the floor. She dialled Quinn's number again and cried when she heard the voicemail, only this time she didn't hang up. She pleaded for the blond to call her and explain what was happening, she cried and begged on the other line until the call timed out and ended itself but Rachel still wasn't satisfied.

She needed answers.

_What if Mark had found them and forced them to leave with him?_

Rachel crawled out of the room, feelings of excruciating pain and weakness damaging every limb in her body. The brunette somehow managed to get on her feet and make it to her car without collapsing. Her throat and head pounded in agony but she refused to give up.

Everything was dark and blurry but she ignored any warning signs and continued to drive to the one place she could get help from. She drove to the familiar building and parked her car in the middle of the road before running out. Her feet carried her halfway to her destination before the tormenting ache took over and she doubled over to empty the contents of her stomach. Once the heaving was finished, she dragged herself away from the mess and shakily went into the almost empty building.

She kicked open the closed door and found exactly what she was looking for.

Puck's eyes were wide as he took in her distraught appearance but he didn't dare move to comfort her. Rachel breathed heavily and an unlimited supply of tears cascaded down her face. The man looked on in shock and something akin to guilt before clenching his fists and looking away.

"I'm so sorry Rach" he whispered with such emotion that it caught her off guard.

The brunette continued to stare at him in shock, confusion and anger as realization finally made its presence known. Puck had been acting weird all day and now Quinn had vanished. Judging by his apology and the look on his face, it was clear that it hadn't been a coincidence.

Rachel approached him dangerously with tightly clenched fists and a murderous look in her eyes as she shook in complete fury. The man clenched his jaw and backed away as she continued to close the distance between them.

"WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO!" she screamed as his back hit the wall.

* * *

**Oh snap!**

**Do you guys think Puck was responsible for Quinn's sudden disappearance? if so what are your theories?**

**I should update in a few days but if you really can't wait, feel free to review and guilt me into updating quicker :P**

**P.s Yes I know I'm evil sometimes haha ;)**


	21. Chapter 21

**So evidently the guilt things works because you have me back to writing this story when i was suppose to be doing my assignment! *Hopes you feel guilty now*  
**

**If i fail im coming after you all! Haha dont worry I'm joking...I know i deserve it after the huge cliffhanger i ended on last time :P  
**

**THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE REVIEWS! I was blown away by the response and amount i got for the previous chapter!**

**Now you know that reviews make me write much quicker along with guilt :P feel free to use it against me anytime!**

**Hope you all enjoy this chapter and forgive me if i don't get a chance to update until the weekend.  
**

**Thanks again to all my readers and specially those who review...i can tell you how much it means to me.**

**Sorry for the errors and Obviously i dont own glee :)**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

"Rachel, please let me explain!" Puck pleaded just as the brunette was within reaching distance.

The seething woman ignored his weak attempts at trying to calm her down "Fuck you Puckerman" she spat once she was close enough to touch him "What did you say to her?" she asked coldly as the man tried to move away.

"Rach, Please I didn't even know that you two were together! I thought she was still involved with Mark so I-I had to talk to her"

Rachel shook as unstoppable tears welled in her eyes. "Answer my fucking Question Noah! WHAT DID YOU SAY TO HER?"

"Rach—"

He was cut off as a harsh slap tore across his face. The brunette was breathing heavily with wide eyes in disbelief as Puck cupped the abused skin of his cheek. After a few moments of dreadful silence, Rachel lowered her gaze to the floor and spoke in a pain filled whisper "Quinn left me...She took Emily and s-she left me..." the anger quickly dissolving to make way for the agonizing reality of abandonment.

The man swallowed audibly and took a moment to decipher what had happened."I'm so so sorry...I thought she knew" Puck's own voice was thick with remorse as he struggled to look at Rachel.

The brunette's head snapped up toward the man with glassy eyes "Knew what?"

The man hesitated for a moment as he took in the brunette's threatening stance "About her ex-husband being your attacker" he winced as Rachel tensed with anger again.

"You told her it was him? What the fuck is wrong with you? Why the fuck would you do that?" she sneered as her shaking hands balled up uncomfortably again.

"It's my job to try and solve this case. She's his ex wife which means that they were technically still together when he first came after you" Rachel clenched her eyes shut tightly and willed the bad memories to vanish "I tracked her down when we first learned Mark's identity and it just seemed like she was up to something"

The brunette opened her eyes to glare at him coldly "Up to something? She was trying to escape that fucking bastard! This piece of shit town is the only place she had left; it was her only hope at giving Emily some resemblance of normalcy"

The man clenched his jaw and looked her in the eyes for the first time since she had entered his office "Rach please just try and look at it from where I stand. They were together during the first attack and then Quinn suddenly shows up and the second encounter happens shortly after. It was too much of a coincidence...I had to investigate and make sure that she had no part in it"

The brunette shook her head but couldn't verbally deny that he was wrong. It would have looked strange in everyone else's eyes because they didn't know the real story. "She would never intentionally hurt me"

Puck looked at her sadly "How was I suppose to know that when you don't tell me anything? If I had known that you two were together then maybe I would have understood" his voice was soft and vulnerable as he held her gaze.

Rachel bit her trembling lip as fresh tears made their presence known "She's scared Noah, he wants to kill us both and I don't know why"

"He wants to hurt Quinn too?" the man asked, still not comprehending the sentence.

"Yes. She left him and now I'm guessing that he wants revenge"

The man nodded slowly "But what does it have to do with you? Why would he want to kill you?"

Rachel inhaled deeply as scenarios went through her mind "I don't know" she whispered in a trembling voice. "That's the thing that haunts me the most"

Puck approached her carefully and held out his hand "We'll get through this Rach. I promise we'll figure it all out"

The brunette looked away, not moving into his offered comfort. "She's gone Noah... How am I supposed to sleep at night knowing that there's a chance he might get to her?"

"We'll find her" he answered without hesitation and squeezed her shoulder in reassurance.

Rachel didn't believe him. Quinn had vanished into thin air and to make matters worse she wouldn't even answer her calls. If Mark couldn't locate her then their chances were just as slim."What if we're too late? If anything happens to her... I swear that I will never forgive you" she clenched her jaw and looked the shocked man in the eyes.

Puck nodded weakly and removed his hand to seize all contact from the fuming girl. "I was just trying to protect you Rach. I didn't know that I would be the one hurting you both in the process"

The brunette wiped the last stray tears from her cheeks and tried to rid herself of any negative thoughts "Just help me find her okay?"

"Anything to make this better" he agreed as he pulled out his phone to make a few calls.

* * *

Rachel left the police station with a never ending sense of dread looming over her. She felt loneliness seep through her heart as it beat nervously in her chest. No matter what she tried, her thoughts took a turn for the worst. Images of Quinn and Emily getting hurt attacked her mind so viciously that she had to bury herself in the bed they shared to calm down. Quinn's scent was still strong as she inhaled it like her life was dependent on the sweet fragrance. Her organs ached menacingly throughout her body as the brunette clutched her cell phone in her hand.

Quinn's number was being dialed relentlessly and without pause until the brunette's device died. Rachel cursed the poor battery life before sobbing into the blonds' pillow until she swore her throat was bleeding.

Feeling helpless and beyond miserable, Rachel plugged her phone into the charger and waited until it powered up. She couldn't waste a second in hopes that Quinn would come to her senses and finally return her calls.

The night dragged on slowly as the brunette's eyes stayed glued to her device. Her death grip on Quinn's pillow loosened dramatically when her phone started to ring. Rachel jolted out of bed and dove toward the device with a rapidly beating pulse only to be disappointed when an unfamiliar number brightened her screen instead of the blonds' beautifully smiling face.

Rachel huffed in annoyance and declined the call quickly before cursing under her breath. _"What if Quinn tried to call but couldn't get through because some fucking moron thought it was an appropriate time to bore me with their existence?"_

Approximately five minutes after she had declined the mysterious call, her phone beeped and notified her that she had received a new voice mail. Rachel groaned in annoyance before picking up the device and almost throwing it across the room. Eventually her curiosity got the best of her and she pressed the phone to her ear while awaiting someone's annoying voice to aggravate her further.

When words were replaced with familiar sobs, Rachel shot out of bed and paced the room as Quinn's voice penetrated her ear drums. All too soon, the line went dead and she was left with a shallow pain coursing through her body.

Rachel quickly re-dialed the phone number the blond had called from and prayed that she would answer. After the fifth ring, the brunette held her breath and froze as the line picked up.

"Quinn?" she asked as tears prickled her eyes.

"I'm so sorry" the blonds' voice soared through the line as Rachel almost collapsed in relief.

"Quinn! Where are you?" the brunette held back her own sobs as the blonds' own wrecked havoc on her own emotions.

"I'm so sorry Rachel" she repeated as her voice trembled "I'm sorry for robbing you of everything. Your dreams, your voice, your happine—"

"Those things aren't important to me!" She almost yelled "You're the only one that matters. I don't care about Mark, none of it was your fault. I could never blame you for this Quinn... Please come back...I-I need you. You and Emily are my life!" Rachel pleaded tearfully as Quinn's sobbing became more uncontrolled and evident.

"I-I'm so sorry Rachel. I-I never deserved you... I just hope that you will be able to forgive me one day even though I could never forgive myself" she whispered between strained breaths and before Rachel could reply and beg, the call ended abruptly. The dead tone mocked her venomously as the twisted noise sounded absently in her ears.

"FUCK NO!" the brunette yelled as she hastily re-dialed the number only to be met with the no answer. "Please pick up" she pleaded to the silence that awaited her.

Rachel sprinted out of the room and down to the elevator to escape the suffocating atmosphere her fear had created. When her hundredth call went to voice-mail, the brunette gave into her tears and started her car before speeding out of the underground car park.

The brunette was left with one last choice; Find Quinn soon or lose her forever.

* * *

**Where is Quinn?**

**Thinking of making me feel guilty so i update quicker again?  
**

**It works BUT means that your just as evil as i am ;)**


	22. Chapter 22

**Oh My God! You guys REALLY know how to make someone feel GUILTY! LOL *give you all a round of applause***

**Okay Okay I learned my lesson...No more bad cliff hangers? haha ill try :P**

**I'm so badly sleep deprived but i somehow managed to power through it and write this next installment for all my dedicated and amazing reviewers! **

**You honestly have no idea how much you comments made me laugh...I didn't know you were so invested in this story (Especially the person who signed out of their account and reviewed again anonymously to try and guilt me into updating today- I seriously love you for making me laugh during my boring tutorial)**

**Thank you so much for your unending support and I hope you continue to enjoy this story.**

**As always I talk too much and it's pretty wise to skip my rambles and go ahead with reading the story. If you read this too then i love you even more for wasting your time!**

**Let me know what you all think and feel free to voice your negative opinions or further guilt me into updating again soon :P**

**I don't own glee but all the unfortunate mistakes are all mine (Sorry)**

**Hope you Enjoy! :)  
**

* * *

"Noah!" Rachel yelled as she stormed into the sleeping man's office. Puck was obliviously napping on his couch but shot up when the brunette's cell phone connected with his groin.

"OUCH FUCK!" He exclaimed loudly as he fell off the comfortable piece of furniture.

Rachel barely contained her grin as she witnessed the man's pain. "Jackass" she mumbled under her breath as Puck fought to get the throbbing pain under control. "Hurry up and stop crying Noah, we have important matters to attend"

The man groaned from his spot on the floor as he stared up at the stoic brunette. "What was that for?" he asked through clenched teeth.

"Not like you didn't deserve it" she spat back harshly but any other retorts died in her throat as Puck flinched and ducked his head in shame. "Listen, i need your help okay? I don't want to fight with you right now. I can't change what you already done but we can work together and try to fix things"

The man looked up at her with hopeful eyes for a moment before nodding and lifting himself off the floor. "Thank you Rach" he whispered gratefully "What do you need me to do?"

"Quinn called me" she blurted out as she ran toward her phone. "It's the last incoming call I received. Can you trace it and track down her location?"

Puck took the cell phone and studied the number carefully with furrowed brows "Damn it! The call was very short but we should be able to at least find out what state she's in now"

Rachel tried to conceal her anger at not being able to get an exact location as the man turned around and made his way toward the exit. The brunette breathed in deeply to try and relieve her furious emotions as she followed Puck out of the room. At least this was a start. Even though Quinn might have left the area, this way they could have an idea of where she might be heading too next.

Rachel's positive thoughts were interrupted as the man looked at her seriously and told her to take a seat before he disappeared into another room. The brunette wanted to protest but Puck was smart enough to move quickly so she wouldn't be able to follow him. Rachel huffed in irritation as she collapsed into a nearby seat clumsily and cradled her face in her shaking hands.

All the pent up emotion and downtrodden feelings hit her hard as the late night silence engulfed her. Rachel's fragile and melancholy state spiralled as the unsettling possibilities surrounded her. Fact was that Quinn was very good at disappearing. The girl had been doing it for years as she ran from her murderous ex husband. Rachel ran her fingers through her hair as she let reality sink in. There was a very high chance that she would never see both the blond and Emily again.

No matter how much the brunette tried to disagree with Quinn notions, she couldn't deny that they weren't logical. If she were put into the same situation, her reactions would have been similar. Nothing will stop you from protecting the ones you truly love, even if it's from yourself. The only aggravating point was that the person whom was to blame was Mark and Quinn refused to see that as she blindly took the blame for his inhumane actions.

Rachel reluctantly pulled her face away from the safety and darkness of her palms as her eyes scanned the wall for any sign of time. The brunette stomped her foot in frustration and stood up ungracefully when she noted that Puck had been gone for almost an hour. The hallway was deserted so the brunette didn't see the point in censoring her crude language, she turned a corner and was about to kick on the first door she saw until the man she was awaiting came into view.

"What the hell took you so long?" she hissed as she marched toward him.

Puck smiled warily and shrugged "It was hard but we managed to get something"

The brunette looked up at him as she crossed her arms over her chest. When puck didn't further elaborate she held the bridge of her nose in impatience "Where is she? I need to find her before she changes her route so please stop wasting my fucking time!" Rachel sneered as she narrowed her eyes.

The man flinched at her harsh tone and mashed his lips together tightly. Rachel regarded him with annoyance and glared at him sternly. "Just don't panic okay?" he finally answered after a few minutes of receiving silent threats from the brunette.

"Noah I swear If you don't tell me where she is right now I'll—"

"Shesnclvlnd!" he mumbled quickly.

"What? I demand you repeat what you just said before I break your nose Noah Puckerman!" she hissed as Puck flinched again.

The man's eyes went wide and he took a retreating step backwards before his mouth opened again "I said...She's In Cleveland" he whispered almost inaudibly but much clearer than he had before.

Rachel's eyebrows furrowed at his odd behaviour "Now that wasn't so hard was it?" she asked sarcastically as she turned around and ran out of sight. Puck stared on at her obliviousness and didn't move from his spot as he waited for her to figure out the implications.

Rachel's tired mind didn't catch on until she stepped into her car and began her search for her keys. The brunette froze in place as the pieces harshly crashed into one another. Her heart beat fearfully worked on overdrive and her jaw dropped open almost painfully as her numbed body fought for a reaction. Her haze continued for a few long minutes until she felt tears sting her eyes for the millionth time that day.

Meanwhile Puck didn't move an inch from his place in the hallway as his eyes focused on where Rachel had disappeared. His fingers itched to retrieve his cell-phone and call her himself but he knew that she would be back soon. Almost like clockwork, he heard hurried footsteps coming his way and braced himself for the cruel path that fate had led them too.

A frantic Rachel turned the corner and felt her knees give out as Puck came into her line of sight. "CLEVELAND?" She screamed frantically, silently praying that she had misheard him.

Puck clenched his fists at the sight of the distraught diva but still managed a weak nod of confirmation. Rachel's already wide eyes went impossibly larger as her hand flew up to muffle her agonizing cries. "B-But Mark is in Cleveland too?...Oh my god! That fucking bastard is in the same state as her and she doesn't even know!"

"No! We lost him in Cleveland weeks ago; I highly doubt that he remained there when he knew we were after him. Most criminals don't stay in the same place for very long Rach"

Rachel shook her head frantically "He was injured. I shot him in the leg remember? D-Did you check the hospitals there? What if he's still there recovering from the bullet wound?"

Puck swallowed thickly "We asked around but no-one with his name or description was being treated at the time"

"He's not stupid. He might have changed his appearance or sought medical treatment after you lost the chase. Did you forget that people use alias's all the time Noah?" The brunette retorted instantly.

Puck approached her and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Either way, there's a very slim chance they'll cross paths. We'll continue our search there just in case and see if we come up with anything okay? In the meantime you should get some rest"

Rachel looked at him in disbelief "You continue your search and ill do the same with mine. Call me if anything comes up"

The man sighed audibly and reluctantly agreed, he knew the brunette was beyond stubborn when she had her mind set on something. "Take your cell-phone with you in case she contacts you again. If that happens, call us immediately okay?" Rachel rolled her eyes but nodded anyway as the man handed the device back to her. "Be careful and I'll let you know if we find anything new"

"Thanks Noah. I'll see you later" she managed to answer softly as she retreated back to her car.

* * *

Rachel's knuckles were painfully white as she clutched her steering wheel. Her gaze constantly wondered toward her cell-phone even though it would sound like a bomb if it rang in contrast to her now deadly silent car. The brunette's head spun crazily as she fought her mind to relax. The girl had never been so distressed ever since losing her voice and even then it would never compare to what she was going though now.

Rachel shook her head and turned on the radio to try and deter her mind from the stressful images burning her brain cells. The last thing she needed was more worry. She smiled absently as one of her old favourites gently sounded through her unused speakers. The brunette automatically opened her mouth to sing along to the harmonic melody but clamped it shut as the first pitchy note left her throat. She let out a frustrated growl when her aching vocal chords mocked her inability to keep up with the simple tune.

Rachel tightened her grip on the steering wheel before quickly moving to turn the radio off. It clearly wasn't helping her chances at distraction or positive thinking. The brunette cursed under her breath until she passed the welcoming Cleveland sign and allowed herself a second of relief. She allowed herself a small smile when she noted that she was a fraction closer to her blond counterpart.

* * *

Two agonizing days passed with no progress at all. Rachel spent most of her time driving around for any sign of the two girls or their car but to no avail. Puck called to notify her that they were continuing their search through hospitals and hotels but unsurprisingly had come no closer to solving the chilling case.

Rachel was a complete and total mess by the end of the third night. Not only was she heavily sleep deprived but her lack of eating and excess stress had been taking a negative toll on her body. The brunette's head pounded constantly as she refused to give in to sleep, even for a small nap in fears of wasting precious time. The truth was that the brunette was terrified she would miss something vital and slip even further away from her chances at finding the blond before it was too late.

The thrumming pain of her constant migraine was momentarily distracted as an unfamiliar ring tone blasted through her phone. Rachel jumped up in surprise and dangerously swerved her car to the side of the road as one of her anxious hands worked at securely grasping the ringing device.

"Hello?" the brunette asked breathlessly as her rapidly beating chest sounded loudly in her ears.

"R-Rach I-I—"

"QUINN! Baby where are you?" the brunette pleaded, not wasting any more time, and already on the verge of tears as relief coursed through her body.

"Rach-Oh god" Quinn sobbed even harder as Rachel's heart constricted painfully. "I-I...Emily" Quinn breathed as she broke down again.

The brunette froze in complete fear and mortification as she listened to the blonds' heavy breathing "Baby please answer me, are you hurt?" she tried to stay calm but the raw fear in her voice was unmistakable.

"N-No" the blond managed to get out.

"Where are you? I'm going to come and get you okay?" the blonds' sobs continued on the Rachel clutched the phone to her ear and managed to get some information out of the weeping woman. Miraculously the brunette somehow managed to keep the distraught girl on the line as she raced to the address Quinn had managed to choke out. Approximately thirty minutes later, Rachel found herself in-front of a vacated supermarket car park as the blonds' dark vehicle came into view.

Without thinking, the brunette stopped her car and kicked her door open before sprinting as fast as she could toward the still car. Almost on cue, Quinn's driver's side door flung open and a flash of blond hair ran toward her just as fast. With adrenaline pumping through her veins, all signs of fatigue were forgotten as the blond lunged toward her in a desperate need for comfort and contact.

Without hesitation Rachel wrapped her arms around the blonds' neck and pulled her flush against her own petite body as her mouth hungrily sought after Quinn's own. Both their tears intermingled as the needy kiss pulled them into their own world and let them have their much needed moment.

"Don't you ever leave me again Fabray" Rachel scolded without any real malice in between kisses. Their embrace was however cut short when the blond pulled away for air and buried her face in the crook of the other woman's warm neck. Rachel protectively wrapped her arms around the incoherent girls waist as her fingers rubbed soothing patterns on her back. Quinn's quiet cries remained present as the brunette peppered her porcelain skin with comforting kisses. "I love you Quinn...so much" she breathed out each time her lips came into contact with pale skin. "Please don't ever do that to me again" she pleaded as her own relived sobs shook her frame.

Quinn remained eerily quiet as they stood there in the middle of the darkness that surrounded them. The only sounds she made were strangled cries that were muffled by the brunette's now damp skin. "I l-love you too R-Rachel" was the only thing she made out before her eyes clenched shut in both repressed exhaustion and blissful happiness.

* * *

**YAY SHE FOUND QUINN! :D**

**Happy now?**

**Feel free to yell at me if you think this is another cliff hanger, Let me know why though lol...AND I hope you know that your seriously evil for using my weaknesses against me :)**

**I really don't mean to do that to you guys, I usually get tired of writing and end the chapters awfully because I'm sleepy haha (sorry) :P  
**


	23. Chapter 23

**Hey Guys!**

**I'm so sorry for the long wait!**

**I've had SO MANY assignments that were due and i really didn't have time to work on anything other than boring academic essays!**

**I apologize for making you all wait but Work and Uni leave me sleep deprived to the extent where I can't think properly anymore. I really don't want to post rubbish because you guys deserve better than that for taking the time to read this story and i sincerely thank you for sticking around. **

**Hopefully things will return to normal soon, but i must warn you that I have plenty more assignments and essays due within the next few weeks. Don't worry though, I'll try my best not to make you wait too long next time :)**

**Thank you so much to all my REVIEWERS! If it wasn't for you then I wouldn't have updated today (because I'm still suppose to be writing my essay) :P**

**Happy Belated Birthday to Stef! I'm sorry I couldn't update on your birthday but I hope you can forgive me?**

**Hope you guys enjoy this next chapter and I'll try and update again this weekend.**

**I don't own glee but the mistakes are all mine unfortunately...There should be plenty because my brain's dead!  
**

**Enjoy! :)**

* * *

The soothing relief that the two women felt in the few minutes of being reunited was shattered as Quinn's sorrow grew in the once comforting darkness. Rachel tightened her hold on the blonds' shaking form but grew increasingly distressed when the absence of a young brunette weighed heavily in her mind. The uneasiness and heartbreak she felt at hearing Quinn's broken sobs and defeated body only increased her panic as Emily's presence remained unseen.

Subtly and without alerting the blond of her trepidation, the brunette tilted her head toward the car as she scanned the dark vehicle for any sign of the young girl. Quinn's door remained open and the engine was still running but Emily's smile and beaming face was still nowhere to be seen.

Rachel clenched her eyes shut in frustration as a sense of dread washed through her already painfully twisting stomach. Tears of affliction were hastily pushed back as the brunette thought back to the last conversation she had with the blond.

Nothing made sense in that moment until the chilling memory hit her like a bucket of ice cold water. The brutal words ran through her mind repeatedly as her already harsh breathing stopped completely. _"Rach- Oh God...I-I...Emily" Quinn breathed before she broke down again..."_

"Quinn?" Rachel whispered hoarsely as the jumbled pieces slowly started to fall into place. The blond clutched onto her tighter and fought to get out a sentence as her uneven voice gave out to further sobbing. "Where's Emily?" the brunette finally managed to ask as streams of rebellious tears streamed down her cheeks. Rachel clenched her eyes shut and prayed to any higher being who was listening as the eerie silence of the night continued to surround them

The blond tried to speak again but to no avail as her weakened form gave out under her. Rachel quickly caught her and bought them both down onto their knees as her own cries joined in with the silent confirmation that the young child was no longer safe. "Quinn, Please look at me" she begged as her suddenly cold fingers frantically tried to wipe at the never ending supply of salty droplets on their faces. "Baby please, tell me what's wrong" Rachel's voice wavered multiple times before she gave up on trying to repress her emotions.

Quinn finally looked up with red swollen eyes before clamping her hands over her mouth harshly to muffle the agony filled sounds trying to escape her throat. "E-Emily!" she managed to whisper out before she buried her ghostly pale face in her hands.

Rachel clenched her fists in irritation and anger as the young child's pained face filled her mind. The brunette abruptly stood up and reached for her phone before shakily trying to dial a number. Her numb hands clumsily dropped the device and it was only then that the other woman's head snapped up to meet equally red and fearful features. The terrified look on Rachel's face must have done something to the silently sobbing blond because the moment their eyes met, Quinn wiped at the remainder of the salty waterworks and reached out for the fallen cell phone. Her fingers ran over it absently for a short moment before she met chocolate orbs again.

Rachel's frozen stature shifted when the blond finally opened her mouth to speak. "H-He won't hurt her...Not until he gets me first" She spoke softly before diverting her gaze back to the device in her hands.

The brunette looked on with wide eyes before freezing in place. "Mark has her?" she asked in disbelief even though she already knew the answer.

Quinn swallowed audibly and bit the inside of her cheeks to still the onslaught of emotions threatening to overtake her. "He won't hurt her" she repeated weakly as if she were trying to convince herself just as much as she were trying to assure Rachel.

The brunette clenched her jaw at Quinn's sorrowful declaration before gathering the other girl in her arms. "No he won't. Emily is safe and we're going to find her soon okay?"

Quinn looked at her with petrified eyes before collapsing into her body. Rachel pressed a lingering kiss to her forehead and cheeks before softly whispering in her ear "We'll find her and go on a long vacation to New York so I can introduce her to all the Broadway stars" she felt Quinn stiffen in her arms momentarily before the blond pulled away just enough to look at her. Rachel instantly missed the warmth but didn't have time to frown when Quinn crushed their lips together in an attempt to seal the promise of their future together.

They both pulled apart panting before Rachel chastely kissed the blond once more and reached for her cell phone. Quinn looked at her questioningly but Rachel only smiled encouragingly as she pressed the ringing phone to her ear.

"Come to Cleveland now!" she hissed loudly at the person on the other line before hanging up the phone and smiling sweetly at the confused blond. "Trust me okay?" she asked almost inaudibly and was almost about to repeat herself when Quinn nodded as she held her vulnerable gaze. Rachel let out a relieved breath before internally breaking down as her worst nightmare came to life. "Come one _sweetheart_, let's get out of here" she whispered against the blonds' cheek before pressing a soft kiss to it.

Neither of them missed the fact that the particular term of endearment was usually reserved for Emily.

* * *

Quinn's hand remained tightly intertwined with Rachel's as they sat on couch and heard a knock on the door. The blond stared on with fearful eyes and looked at the brunette frantically until Rachel shook her head and placed a soft kiss to her knuckles. Quinn was about to ask what was going on when the brunette untangled their hands and walked toward the door.

"Hey Rach, What's going on?" the familiar voice froze her in place before Puck's face came into view. "Oh...Hi Quinn" he greeted softly before diverting his guilty gaze to the floor. He remained standing at the far side of the room until the short brunette kicked him in the shins. "Ouch! Shit!" Puck yelled as he clutched the injured bone.

"Fuck you Noah!" Rachel glared at him before taking a seat next to the blond and wrapping her arm protectively around the bemused girl. "It's okay baby, he can help us" she whispered soothingly into Quinn's ear before turning to narrow her eyes coldly at Puck when she felt the blond relax against her again. "Firstly I would like to start off with you apologizing to Quinn for your stupidity then I'm going to injure you some more after you learn about everything you've caused...you fucking asshole!" she sneered.

Puck looked up at the two women with wide eyes before focusing his attention on the quiet blond in front of him "Quinn.." he whispered sincerely before continuing "I am so so sorry for all the pain I caused you. I swear that it was never meant to happen like this. I honestly thought you knew the truth about Mark. I had no idea you were just another innocent bystander...I just wanted to protect Rachel from getting hurt again and I'm deeply remorseful for my foolish actions. Please forgive me for being stupid and I won't ever perv on you guys even if you make out in front of me"

The blond woman quietly turned toward the seething girl next to her. Rachel met her lingering gaze instantly as Puck watched on with interest. Quinn nodded as her tired hazel eyes bore into the brunette's chocolate orbs and instantly calmed her.

"Shit...I mean wow... you really have changed Fabray! Are you guys sure you haven't switched bodies or something? because Rachel looks like she's going to kill me while your accepting my apology and acting as though I haven't been the biggest jackass in the world...This is seriously weird" he whispered as he continued to stare at them in disbelief.

"Shut up Puckerman!" the brunette snapped and instantly caused any more of puck's blunt remarks to seize and die in his throat.

"Sorry" he mumbled sheepishly before attempting to smile gratefully at Quinn. The blond shot him a quick small nod and returned her attention back to the petite girl next to her. Even though the love and care was clearly evident, the sadness in both their eyes caught him off guard and he had to cough in order to stop his word vomit and apologies from escaping his mouth. "What happened?" he asked hesitantly as both women turned to look at him.

Quinn wiped at her eyes before meeting his gaze again "Emily's been kidnapped" she whispered brokenly as the brunette leaned forward and pressed a comforting kiss on her temple. "I-I went to the grocery store to get some things and when I came back to the car...she was gone"

"Do you think Mark was responsible?" Puck asked, already anticipating the answer.

Quinn flinched at the name and recoiled instantly. Rachel looked panicked when she took in the blonds' distressed and exhausted appearance but recovered quickly. "Baby, why don't you go and get some rest? We'll send out a search party and I'll wake you up if anything happens okay?" Quinn's eyes fluttered closed at the mention of sleep and without waiting for her answer, Rachel gently lifted her from the couch and led her into a small room.

"We'll find her I promise" she whispered into Quinn's ear once the blond had settled into her bed. The other woman looked up at the brunette and nodded before kissing her sweetly. Rachel smiled adoringly at the blond beauty and waited until her breathing had evened out before leaving the room.

* * *

Puck was still sitting in the same position, opposite the couch when Rachel entered and took a seat in front of him. Once the man had acknowledged her presence, the brunette continued where they had left off. "She was asleep when Quinn left her there" Rachel clarified "Emily had been feeling sick since they left Lima so Quinn took her to the hospital for a check up. I think Mark found them there" her cold glare at the man instantly made his blood run cold as he ducked his head in shame and realization. "Didn't you tell me that you checked all the hospitals and that there was no possibility Mark was still in Cleveland?"

Puck ran his hand over his face in embarrassment "Fuck Fuck Fuck!" he muttered under his breath.

"Yes Noah, Fuck is right but more accurately its 'FUCK YOU'" she pointed at him angrily but her movements and attempts at bodily harm came to a halt when his eyes watered "Fix this now Noah because if anything happens to her...I swear to God that I'll end you, do you understand?"

"Rach-"

"I don't want to hear it!" she screamed as he tried to protest "This is all your fucking fault to begin with! Emily would have been safe with us back in Lima or at our cottage if you had kept your big mouth shut!"

The man turned away from her burning eyes as he felt his stomach contort in guilt. "I'll fix this" he promised "We'll find her and bring her back safely. That fucking bastard won't get away with this"

Rachel laughed humourlessly before pinning him with a murderous expression "Of course he won't because the next time I pull the trigger, I'll make sure the bullet pierces through his heart"

Puck mouth fell open "Don't do anything stupid Rach" he warned gently

"I won't" she snapped back instantly "He tortured Quinn and Emily for years before trying to kill me twice for no fucking reason! I think he deserves some payback don't you think?"

"You're not a killer Rach" he whispered, almost afraid of her reaction.

"I don't know what I am anymore Noah" she answered truthfully. Mark had not only hurt her but he had done the same thing to everyone she held close to her heart. Rachel honestly didn't know what she would be capable of once they came face to face again.

Puck stared at her with a mixture of shock and confusion for a long time but didn't reply until a sudden beeping noise made them both jump. "That's Quinn's phone" Rachel motioned toward where the noise had come from with furrowed brows. "I didn't think anyone knew her new number..."

Puck watched on as she fumbled around for the cell phone in her purse before gripping it triumphantly. Her eye brows furrowed as she studied the notification "She has a new message from an unknown number"

The man's eyebrow shot up in alarm. "Do you want me to open it?" he asked cautiously. Rachel shook her head and slouched back on the couch before her fingers moved to open the new message. "It's probably a—" the brunette's words died before her mind even had a chance to finish the thought. The long silence and her wide angry orbs caused Puck to immediately get up and pluck the device from her death grip.

"**Hello Quinny, Remember me you fucking bitch? Of course you do because you've managed to wipe me out of my own daughter's memories. Bet you think its funny right? I'll have to teach her a lesson for forgetting her father now wont I? Since I'm feeling generous today, I'll give you choice. Either you surrender yourself along with that bitch you've been fucking obsessed with your entire pathetic life or ill kill the little crying girl that shares both of our genetics. You have ONE HOUR to make your choice and reply before I end her life. Someone has to die today and I would really love for that to be you and that fucking slut that keeps getting away from me. Bet you fucked her more than you did me huh? Yeah well don't worry, I know I'll get the last laugh. I know you'll make the right choice because this little runt is already getting on my nerves and I won't hesitate to come after you when I'm finished with her. Tick Tock...The Clock is ticking Quinny...You'll die either way so choose wisely"**

Rachel shook with both fear and fury before stomping her foot in frustration. "DONT YOU DARE TOUCH HER YOU FUCKING BASTARD!" She screamed at the phone before her hands moved furiously to type out a threatening message. Before she could get all her anger out, Puck moved the phone out of her hands and held it in the air. "Give me the fucking phone!" she hissed as she prepared to kick him between the legs.

"I can't let you do that; you'll put Emily's life in danger by getting him angry Rach. Just let me deal with this okay?"

The brunette shook her head furiously before punching his arm to distract him and quickly pulling the concealed gun off his body. Puck gaped at her flawless snatch before chasing her out the door. "FUCKKKK! NO! DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT BERRY!" he screamed as he struggled to catch her small form as it headed toward his parked vehicle with speed and precision.

Rachel mentally thanked Puck as she located his keys that were sloppily thrown on the passenger seat. "At least he was good for something" she mumbled under her breath as she powered the engine on and clutched the gun tightly in her hand. "That fucking asshole is dead!" she hissed before her feet moved to stomp down on the accelerator and find the man who had continuously robbed her of everything...

* * *

**SORRY! I really have to work on my Essay before i pass out on my laptop lol**

**Okay so...what do you guys wanna see happen to Mark? **

**What does he deserve?**

**Let me know and I'll love you forever! :D  
**


	24. Chapter 24

**I owe you all a HUGE appology!**

**I'm so sorry this took so long to post!**

**I had to work really long hours these past two weeks/write a bunch of essays AND I got a nasty cold which is a major pain in the ass!**

**Anyways i know that you all deserve to slap me a few times for keeping you waiting so long, but i PROMISE that it wont happen again.**

**So the major action/drama happens in the next chapter and then there should be another one after that to end the whole thing. so look out for the final two chapters in the next couple of days :)**

**I really hope you guys enjoy this and please review/ comment. If there's high demand for the next part I might have time to write it tomorrow.**

**Sorry again!**

**Love you all and hope you enjoy this.**

**Sorry for any mistakes...I don't own glee...bla bla bla**

**Enjoy! :)**

* * *

Just as Rachel's foot hit the accelerator, the door was flung open and she was forcefully yanked out of the car and thrown onto the harsh pavement as Puck hastily worked at securing the moving vehicle before the woman could attempt to try and access it again.

The furious man turned back around and was met with a seething brunette whom was still clutching his weapon in her hands. Puck ignored her obvious fury and instead chose that moment to knock some sense into the heavily breathing woman "What the fuck were you thinking? You don't even know where they are!"

Rachel flipped him off before attempting to get back into the vehicle. Puck shook his head irritably before blocking her way of getting to the safely parked car. "Noah! Get the hell out of my fucking way! I have to find her before—" she choked on her tearful sob as haunting thoughts evaded her tired mind "please just let me go!" she begged weakly as her hands worked at wiping away the salty residue that had cascaded down her cheeks.

"Rach, we've already wasted enough time. Please just come inside with me and we'll figure this out okay?" when the brunette stubbornly shook her head, he sighed and continued "We don't know where they are. You could drive around for days and still not find them. Lets reply to his message and get him to tell us where he is so I can send my team out there to rescue Emily. How does that sound?"

Rachel bit her lip and hesitantly handed the gun back to him. "How much time do we have left?" she asked softly, already wincing at the anticipated answer.

Puck's eyes went wide before they scanned his wrist watch "35 Minutes" he finally answered after what felt like an eternity.

The brunette clenched her fists as she battled her rising emotions. "Let's finish this" she whispered with newly discovered vigour as she turned on her heel and marched away from the stunned man.

Her newly discovered motivation caught Puck off guard for a few seconds before he helplessly trailed behind her. Once they were both inside the safe confines of the rented room, he walked toward the nervous woman as she traced over the illuminated touch screen keypad on her phone. Without looking up from her ministrations she took a breath and answered Puck's silent question. "I'll agree to his terms and wait for further directions"

Puck nodded as he reached for his own phone and studied his contacts list "I'll contact my team and tell them to start preparing. In the meantime, I'll alert the Cleveland station and request their back-up" Rachel nodded absently as her stoic features remained trained on her now dark screen. "We'll find Emily and this will all be over soon Rach, I promise"

At the mention of the tiny Diva's name, the brunette's fiery gaze snapped up to meet Puck's startled face. "Don't make promises you can keep Noah" she hissed coldly "All I need from you is to get me in there so I can finish this. You are not to tell Quinn of any new found information either. Let her rest while we clean up this whole mess that you created in the first place" as soon as the words left Rachel's mouth she almost regretted them.

Puck diverted his wounded eyes toward the ground and clenched his jaw painfully. The brunette sighed and massaged her temples as she tried to get a grip on her anger. "Look Noah, I understand that it was never your intention to cause this or bring harm upon any of us. In some ways it was bound to happen. We would have never have been safe with Mark stalking our every move. I'm just tired and so scared that we won't get there in time. I'm sorry for snapping at you, I didn't mean to blame you okay?"

The man shook his head and clenched his fists "Its okay Rach, I deserved it"

The brunette rolled her eyes and ignored her vastly approaching migraine "blaming yourself won't change anything. The only thing that will help is moving on and trying to right our wrongs. Just help me find her okay?"

Puck nodded in agreement but stayed quiet until Rachel's message tone sounded loudly and caused both of them jump. "What did he say?" the man asked almost instantly as the brunette's eyes viciously scanned the screen.

"Nothing" she whispered vacantly as she bit into her bottom lip.

"What do you mean nothing?" Puck asked worriedly as he approached Rachel's still from.

"It's just an address followed by the time he expects me there"

"Let me see" he snatched the phone out of Rachel's hand and immediately snorted after reading the message "Is he ever original?" Puck asked the confused brunette who looked at him expectantly "Come on Rach! First the kidnapping and now this whole _'meet me in an abandoned warehouse'_ thing? I think this guy watches too many movies."

Rachel rolled her eyes and slouched back into the couch as she clenched her eyes shut. "We have to think of a plan. He wants us to meet there at 7pm sharp which leaves us with just over three hours to come up with something."

"Do you have anything in mind?"

Rachel shook her head "No and I don't really care what you decide to do. I just need one thing from you okay?" Puck nodded and patiently waited for her to continue "Do what you have to do to save Emily, no matter what happens I just need you to promise me that you'll get her out alive and unharmed. I don't care about what happens to me, If i die then its fine because...I-I don't think I can live without her Noah. She's like the daughter I always wanted"

Rachel smiled absently as Puck stood frozen in place "My shallow dreams use to consist of Broadway, riches and fame but now I finally understand what it means to be happy. Happiness doesn't come with material possessions, applause or fake adoration like I once believed. If you're surrounded by the people that love you endlessly then nothing else will ever matter anymore. I'm no longer scared of petty things. My once long list of fears now only consists of one thing and that is; losing Quinn and Emily. I can now admit without hesitation that I have truly loved...Losing my life in order to protect them doesn't faze me. The once selfish and egotistical Rachel Berry was replaced with a human version of her robotic counterpart when Quinn and Emily walked into my life and taught me how to love. I need them to live more than I once needed applause. I know that I must be rambling but no words can express the depths of what I feel for them- They are _my family_"

Puck stared at her for a long while, clearly not knowing how to respond to the brunette's deep heartfelt confession. After a few suffocating minutes he finally nodded and accepted her possibly last wishes. Thoughts of losing Rachel made his whole body ache in unexplainable pain. His suddenly dry throat and stinging eyes forced him to focus upon anything that wasn't the brunette at that moment before he started openly weeping in front of her. If Rachel was willing to sacrifice herself then he would do everything in her power to make sure that she stayed out of harm's way.

* * *

"So you want to go in first while I stay outside and wait for your instructions?"

Rachel nodded at him proudly before continuing to map out their plan and instructions on a piece of paper. "Correct. I'll have my wire on which means that you'll hear the whole exchange. After Emily is released and you have gotten her safely away from the warehouse then you may come back and help me deal with Mark"

Puck's eyebrows furrowed in thought "What about Quinn?"

Rachel's eyes went wide. "Shit! If we're both gone then she'll get worried. Um...how about you stay here and watch her while I deal with the rest?"

"Are you fucking insane Rach? I'm not letting you go there by yourself!" he hissed!

Without warning the brunette slapped him over the head "Firstly, I won't be alone because every damn police officer in town will be there with me and lastly, keep your voice down before you wake her up! She can't know about this!"

"Know about what?"

Both set of brown eyes snapped toward the sleepy voice belonging to the adorable blond standing behind them in the doorway. Rachel stared at her and gaped like a fish before turning toward Puck and shooting him a withering glare. He grinned sheepishly at her before they both cast their eyes toward Quinn whom was watching them suspiciously. "N-Nothing!" Rachel finally answered nervously.

The blonds' eyes dangerously narrowed at Puck before her affectionate gaze locked on Rachel's once again. "You a horrible liar Rach" she chuckled as she walked toward the duo. Without warning she snatched the paper off the table but before she could read it, the brunette tackled her onto the couch and ripped it out of her grip.

Quinn's eyes went wide but before she could protest or scold Rachel for her actions, the brunette beat her to the punch "God, i missed your lips!" she whispered seductively before closing the gap between them. Quinn's eyelids fluttered shut before she melted into the kiss. The innocent peck rapidly turned heated and before either of them could control themselves, Quinn sexily groaned into the brunette's mouth. All semblance of modesty vanished as the blond wrapped her legs around the brunette's torso and bought her flush against her own body. Rachel responded eagerly by running her hands under Quinn's shirt and cupping the blonds' bra clad breasts before gently caressing them in promise of more to come.

All coherent thoughts went out the window as the brunette breathlessly pulled away and latched onto Quinn's exposed neck. The blond arched into her girlfriends ministrations and let out a long animalistic moan while her fingers sifted through raven locks.

Just as Rachel was about to start ripping away at the clothing barriers between them, a low whimper from across the room startled them both. Their haze quickly disappeared when they rememeber that they weren't alone. "Puckerman!" they both yelled in unison. Embarrassment and frustration was evident in their voices as the woman shot daggers at the heavily breathing man. "Get out!" Rachel screamed irritably as she protectively pulled Quinn closer to her "And you better stop looking at Quinn like that before I castrate you!"

"Babe, that was so hot! But I'm afraid we don't have time for you two sexy ladies to sex each other up. We have a few...errands to run...before it gets dark, remember?"

Rachel continued to glare at him in confusion before her eyes widened comically in realization "Ohh! Yes, sorry I forgot!" She looked down at Quinn who raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow at her "Sorry baby, I'll be back soon" she leaned down to whisper in the blonds' ear "When I get back we can finish what we started, I'll make it up to you I promise" she grinned almost arrogantly when Quinn shivered underneath her.

"Rach—" all of the blond's questions were once again abruptly stopped when Rachel planted another searing kiss onto her lips before jumping away from the dazed girl and literally running out the door, followed closely by a drooling puck.

* * *

"Damn Berry!" he cheered and held up his hand for a high five once they had safely made it to his car.

The brunette smirked before purposely missing his hand and smacking his head in retaliation. "Shut up and drive before she follows us!" Puck groaned and clutched his face with one hand while the other worked as turning on the car and attempting to safely escape. "It feels like I forgot something—OH SHIT!" she yelled frantically "Please tell me that you got the paper I snatched out of Quinn's hand?"

"Oh you mean the one you wrote the plan on... Before you jumped her? Yeah I totally got it AND snuck a peek at your ass while doing so" he licked his lips and grinned at the memory. It took all of Rachel's willpower not to reach out and punch him.

"How much time do we have left?"

"15 minutes" he answered while glancing at his watch "The place is already surrounded. My team have everything under surveillance and I got like 3 snipers ready to take him out if anything goes wrong"

Rachel's stomach clenched and she felt violently ill at the thought of anyone dying. "Good" she whispered inaudibly to remind herself that she wanted Mark dead anyway. They both remained quiet, too lost in their thoughts and nerves to speak.

Pucks phone rang after a few minutes of comfortable silence "Yeah?...What the Fuck?...what do you mean? No No, i agree...Yeah Okay... keep me posted if anything changes"

"What's wrong?" Rachel asked after he snapped his phone shut.

"It's just that Mark still hasn't shown up"

"Is that normal in these situations?" Rachel asked already panicked.

"Umm, well you can never predict these things you know?"

The brunette took a deep breath and tried to think positively but any hope of calming down vanished when Puck's cell phone rang again. "Uh Rach?" he asked both confused and scared.

"Yeah?"

"Why are you calling me?"

"Huh?" she turned to look at him and gasped when her eyes landed on his screen. "FUCK FUCK FUCK! I forgot my phone on the table!" Puck cursed under his breath before answering the call and wincing when Quinn's loud and frantic voice filled the car "Put it on speaker!" Rachel hissed when she couldn't make out what the blond was saying. "Hey baby, what's wrong?" she asked innocently while silently praying that Quinn hadn't gone through her messages.

"Did you seriously just ask me that Rachel Barbara Berry?" Quinn yelled as the brunette winced at the use of her full name, already knowing that she was in deep trouble. "You're going to see Mark and you lied to me!"

"No! Well I didn't really lie to you, I just distracted you before you could ask me any questions"

"RACHEL!" She yelled tearfully and the brunette recoiled at Quinn's shaky tone "Come back here and take me with you right now!" she demanded.

"No-way Fabray! You stay there and don't leave the room until we bring Emily back"

"It's either you come back or I take the car and get her myself"

Rachel's stomped her foot and mentally berated herself for also forgetting her car keys on the table next to her cell-phone. "Baby please!" she pleaded "You don't even know where we're going"

"Dont 'baby' me Rachel! I don't care about where you're going because I'm not following you anyway"

Both Puck and Rachel remained silent as they looked at one another "Okay why don't you go for a drive to clear your head and we'll take care of the rest?" she asked hopefully.

Quinn laughed humourlessly "You're going the wrong way, Mark sent you another message while you were out. The first address he gave you wasn't real because he knew you were going to get the cops involved"

"Fucking bastard!" Both puck and Rachel swore venomously.

"The deadline is in 30 minutes so it's either you take me with you or I go by myself"

Rachel covered the mouth piece and motioned for Puck to pull over "We'll go pick her up but don't let her out of the car once we get there"

The man nodded and grinned. Rachel sighed "Okay we're coming back now, we should be there in ten minutes"

Without an answer, Quinn ended the call and the brunette rolled her eyes "Is it weird that I'm oddly turned on by Quinn's old HBIC attitude?"

Puck shook his head and laughed "Not at all, I know how you feel" his wink was however short lived as Rachel punched his arm.

"Don't think of my girlfriend in that way Puckerman! I'll rip out your eyes if I have too"

His devilish smirk only grew as he wiggled his eyebrows "Go for it babe, I don't need them for my imagination" This time he smartly shut up when the brunette's fist connected with his ribs.

* * *

With Puck's speeding and overall disregard for road rules, they made it back to the hotel in record time. As suspected Quinn was already there waiting in the parking lot when they pulled into it. Without a word or any sigh of acknowledgement, she tore the back door open and wordlessly got inside. After exiting the parking lot, Puck awkwardly cleared his throat before attempting to speak but was cut off when Quinn angrily read the address out to him. Rachel frowned and turned around to smile at the blond in hopes of warming her up to an apology but her plan was quickly tarnished when Quinn refused to look at her.

"Baby?" Rachel whispered, wishing that Puck wasn't in the car with them. When the blond blatantly ignored her again, the brunette huffed and unclasped her seatbelt before getting climbing in the backseat. Quinn met her eyes for a brief second and that was all the encouragement Rachel needed to pull her into a apologetic bone crushing hug. "I'm so sorry for not telling you, You're already dealing with too much and I didn't want to cause you any more stress. I wish I had told you the truth but a large part of me is terrified of you being anywhere near that sick bastard" she whispered into the blonds' ear, hoping that Puck was minding his own business for once.

Quinn thankfully didn't pull away but she didn't speak either. Rachel took what she could get as she tightened her grip and held the blond in her arms for the entire ride.

"Back-up is on their way. He's expecting you in exactly seven minutes" Puck whispered almost inaudibly as they parked a few metres away from the residence that Mark had led them too. Rachel took a deep breath and pulled away from Quinn. The blond bit her lip and wiped her eyes nervously as she prepared to exit the car.

"Wait Quinn, you're not going inside" Rachel clasped both the blond's hands in her own as she looked the other woman in the eye to convey her how serious she was.

"Of course I'm going. You're not going in there alone!"

Rachel shook her head and silently pleaded for Quinn to understand. "Please...Back-up will be here soon and Puck will help me if anything goes wrong. I'm wearing a wire so he'll be able to hear everything. I need you to be safe which means that you can't be anywhere near that psycho" Quinn opened her mouth to protest and Rachel visibly panicked as her time continued to run short "Baby please! If I'm not back in 15 minutes then you can come inside okay?"

The blonds' jaw clenched as she debated the offer "Make it ten minutes and you have a deal"

"Okay fine" Rachel agreed hesitantly as she leaned in to press a searing kiss to Quinn's lips. The blond must have sensed her urgency because she kissed back just as passionately. "I love you so much" she punctuated between each fiery kiss "No matter what happens—"

"No!" Quinn stopped her from completing her sentence "Don't you dare say it! Both you and Emily are going to return to me safely then we're going to book first class tickets to New York, move out of here and live happily ever after"

Rachel laughed wholeheartedly "The prospect of spending the remainder of my life with you does sound rather tempting" she whispered teasingly against the blonds' lips before pressing down on them with her own and sealing their dreams with a kiss. "I love you" she confessed again as tears began brimming behind her eyes.

Quinn forced back a sob of her own and smiled tearfully at the beautiful brunette "I love you too Rach, so much that it hurts..." She wiped at both their eyes before intertwining their hands and leading them out of the car "Now" she whispered as she pushed the brunette toward her destination "You better hurry up and save _our_ daughter before she throws a tantrum" Rachel's eyes went wide and burnt with salty residue as she beamed at the blond who smiled adoringly at her. "Shes all you Rach"

The brunette's need to run back to the blond and kiss her to death was interrupted when Puck's voice boomed loudly in her eardrums. "Shit!" she hissed as she clutched her rapidly beating heart.

"Sorry to um interrupt your moment but you have two minutes to get there before he gets pissed"

"Stupid wire" Rachel mumbled before blowing a kiss in the blonds' direction and walking out of sight toward the house that would either symbolise the start of her new beginning or the end of her short lived happiness.

Rachel steeled herself as the small; beat down white house came into view. _"I have to save my daughter"_ were the last words that left her mouth before she jumped over the broken fence and walked toward the exact nightmare that had now become her reality.

* * *

**Hit the review button and give me your thoughts/Guilt me AND/OR swear for making you wait so long...**

**Either way Reviews make me happy! :D **


	25. Chapter 25

**So its almost 5am here in Sydney and i've been sitting here writing this for hours because i didn't want to keep you guys waiting any longer!**

**As promised there is plenty of drama/action and questions answered.**

**If i miss anything please let me know and ill try and answer it for you in the last chapter.**

**So we're almost at the end...wow I'm feeling kind of sad lol**

**Hope you guys enjoy this part and let me know what you would prefer to see before the curtains close.**

**Thank you so much for reading and specially to my reviewers! you make me smile!**

**I dont own glee! please excuse my errors and spelling mistakes because it's way past my bedtime lol**

**OH & What the hell is up with that glee spoiler thing? Was kurt seriously suppose to win prom_ Queen_? If so, I think they should re-name the show kurt and fire the rest of the cast because Ryan Murphy obviously doesn't care about them...give us some damn Faberry!**

**Sorry for the random ramble...im just really over Kurt's character =/ (I warned you that it was past my bedtime! haha)**

**Enjoy! :D**

* * *

The chill that ran its course down Rachel's spine had nothing to do with the night's chilly weather. Each frustrating step that got her closer to her destination seemed more significant than its predecessor. The mission was simple on paper; get Emily and run. The cruel part about reality was that things were never that easy. There was always room and possibility for error or unpredictable human nature.

"Rach what's taking you so long? You have exactly one minute to get inside!"

The brunette's heart leapt erratically against her ribcage as Puck's voice startled her out of her thoughts. "I'm almost there Noah, where the hell are you? You're supposed to be my back-up!"

The man's shallow breathing and pace picked up as dead twigs snapped under his feet "I'm following you now. I'm going to stay a few feet away until you enter the house. When you go in, I'll watch you through the window. Make sure you don't talk to me or he might figure out that your wearing a wire"

Rachel nodded along absently and stayed silent even though she knew that Puck couldn't see her. "Is Quinn locked inside the car?"

"Yeah, just don't stall too long or we might have a problem. If you get in trouble just yell out 'Mayday' and I'll be inside before you can blink"

"Thanks Noah" Rachel whispered as she finally came to stand in-front of the haunting house.

The brunette closed her eyes and steeled herself for what was to come as her fingers grazed the cold metal of the door handle. Flashes of both the attacks accompanied by Emily's smiling face and Quinn's bruised body filled her mind before she forced her heavy eye lids to re-open. The added adrenaline rush suddenly seemed like too much but was the exact push that Rachel needed as she flung the door open and blindly made her way inside.

The sense of dread loomed over her quickly as her vision was blinded. The house was dark , cold and intimidating. The haunted feeling of being watched added to her panic as her chocolate orbs scanned the empty residence. Her loss of sight and the feeling of being surrounded by an evil presence almost proved to be too much for Rachel as she forced herself to keep moving.

"H-Hello?" she asked weakly as her shaky feet slowly backed her away from the open door. As expected there was no answer. The brunette held out her hands to help guide her somewhere less frightening but the further she got from the door, the more fearful she became. The thought of being executed or ambushed while blindsided made her whole body tense and alert as her eyes hastily scanned her surroundings.

Rachel moved a little further into what seemed like the kitchen area and strained her ears to hear any signs of life. To the brunette's dismay, the only sounds echoing throughout the whole house were those of her own laboured breathing. Trying a different approach, Rachel stood frighteningly still and composed her nerves. "Emilyyy!" she yelled as loud as her body would allow but again it seemed as though she had been ignored.

Just Rachel's eyes started adjusting to the darkness; the brunette's feet started shuffling backwards to try and find a sense of safety. Her search for a wall came to an abrupt stop as a muffled scream resonated throughout the house.

Rachel's eyes snapped forward to try and locate where the sound had come from but was once again met by cruel silence. The brunette's frustrations began to rise but were short lived as the sound of the front door clicking shut took her by surprise. "Fuck!" she mumbled under her breath as the woman slowly turned around. Her shaking hands clenched into fists as she made the split decision to run toward the hallway where the muffled cry had come from.

If there was the slightest chance of finding Emily and escaping before Mark could find her then Rachel would take it. The loss of sight was meant to intimidate and scare her into submission but the brunette knew that if she played her cards right, it could be used to her advantage.

Without thinking of the consequences and ignoring the painful churn in her organs, Rachel turned around and blindly charged out of the kitchen. Her booming footsteps thundered above the timbered floor but before she could make any progress, her plan was stopped.

In the blink of an eye she had been grabbed by her arm and carelessly thrown across the room. Her back connected to a cold wall with a loud crack as she painfully sunk to the ground to clutch the abused skin. "Fuck that hurt!" she hissed lowly under her breath.

A cold laugh forced its way into her eardrums as the brunette fought to hold back her rising anger. The adrenaline masked the pain quickly as Rachel steadily climbed to her feet. Movement from across the room caught her eye as her fingers skimmed across the rough walls in their desperate search to find a light switch. When she failed to locate the light producing saviour, Rachel quietly got onto her knees and crawled her way out of the room in hopes of escaping the psychotic presence.

The brunette had successfully made it into the hallway and let out a sigh of relief but the freedom was short lived when she felt cold fingers grip both her ankles. Before she could react, her feet were grabbed from behind and she was being forcefully pulled back until her body was being dragged along the coarse flooring. Her fearful shriek was replaced with an angered groan as she tried to kick her way out of the harsh hands of her captor.

The woman's unadulterated rage was only fuelled when the grip on her calved tightened and a taunting laugh was released to mock her. Rachel clenched her jaw and braced herself for the ride until they passed the threshold of what looked to be another room. Her balled up fists quickly unclenched as her hands flew up to hold onto both sides of the open doorway. Before her entire body was dragged to its doom, Rachel held on tightly and waited for the last painful jerk before she used her upper body to aid her in pulling back.

Miraculously her plan worked. The man was caught off guard when he could no longer tug the brunette along. He momentarily made the mistake of stopping to look up and that's when Rachel attacked. Her feet were freed after one forceful kick and she used the advantage to strike at anything she could access. The man bent forward to seize her feet again but she was too fast. One lucky boot clad foot struck him in the gut while she used her other one to swiftly kick him in the groin.

The man fell back with a curse filled scream much to the woman's relief. Rachel didn't have time to celebrate her escape and instead used the opportunity to climb to her feet. The brunette braced herself to run like she had originally planned but unfortunately her repressed anger took control of all her logical thinking. Before either of them could process what had happened, Rachel lunged forward to get her revenge and inflict further pain. Her fist connected to the man's cheek at least twice before he regained control of his limbs and effectively threw her off.

Rachel's frenzied state was even more angered at his own escape but before she could follow him and knock him unconscious, their darkness vanished. They both covered their eyes at the sudden bright intrusion but the manly groan from across the room made her un-shelter her sore orbs in a split second so she could carry on with her beat down.

Once her hazy sight had finally focused on him, Rachel fought to gain control of her breathing. "Where is she?" she hissed through bared teeth, as man steadied himself on the wall behind him. His fingers were still on the light switch as he opened his eyes to coldly glare and smirk at the fuming brunette.

"Shes my daughter and I'll do as I please with her you fucking bitch" he spat as he squared his shoulders and stood to his full intimidating height. Rachel imitated his movements and stared him down until he began laughing coldly. Mark's fingers grazed the abused skin on his cheeks before he spat out the blood filing his mouth.

Rachel grinned arrogantly as she studied her work. "I was just getting started you know, If you hadn't pulled such a bitchy move I would have given you more of those" she gestured to the already forming bruised on his face with a cocky chuckle.

The brunette's grin lessened when Mark took a threatening step toward her. Rachel's adrenaline rush was still seeping through her veins but now that he had recovered, Rachel wasn't foolish enough to believe that she would get lucky again. The truth was that she had caught him off guard with her sudden attack. Now with the moment gone, the brunette knew he could easily end her.

The man grinned when a flash of fear appeared in her chocolate orbs. Rachel swallowed the dry lump in her throat as she tried to unsuccessfully move around him. They stared each other down and circled the room in complete silence until Rachel's feet crossed the threshold of the vacant room. Before Mark could stop her, she was walking backwards out of the room, with him mimicking her every move.

Like an animal stalking its prey, he moved slowly and kept his cold gaze upon her own. Rachel covered up any panic or weakness as she hid behind the fake calm demeanour she had perfected in college. "Where's Emily?" she asked again and was pleasantly surprised when her voice didn't break or waver.

Mark grinned sadistically "Why don't you go ahead and look for her?"

"She's just a child; this had nothing to do with her. Let her go and I'll give you whatever you want"

The man shook his head and continued to smile evilly "Unfortunately for you, you didn't bring the thing I wanted"

"What are you talking about?" Rachel asked almost innocently.

The evil grin on Mark's face dropped and was instantly replaced with a scrowl "Fucking bitch, You know what I want!" he yelled.

Rachel flinched but composed herself quickly "Leave Quinn out of this!" she yelled back just as harshly.

"Leave her alone?" he taunted "You can't protect her, As soon as I'm finished with you, the first thing I'm going to do is bury her alive along with your lifeless body"

The brunette seized all her movements and clenched her fists until her knuckled were rid of their natural colour "You need to fucking get over the fact that she left you" she snapped.

"She left me because some fucking dyke brainwashed her"

Rachel stared at him with a mixture of irritation and outrage "Is that what you choose to believe? She never even loved you, She was never yours to begin with you fucking fool! You got her pregnant and manipulated her into marrying you when she was scared and vulnerable!"

"I would have never fucked her if it wasn't for you"

Rachel glared at him and felt waves of jealousy rush through her body at the thought of him touching Quinn. "You're delusional!" she screamed incredulously.

Mark's laughed humorously as his eyes roamed over her seething body. "Want to know a little secret?" he whispered as his feet shuffled toward her "Both of our fathers arranged the whole thing"

When the brunette stared at him in confusion his face splitting grin returned "It's true. Russel and my father planned the whole thing. He talked her into attending Yale where I was due to graduate the same year. My father introduced us and informed me that I was to court her and get her to fall in-love with me. I honestly didn't care much for her at first but when she kept rejecting my advances, I got annoyed and decided to play along"

Rachel saw red at the confession but was too shocked to move "So I pretended to be her friend for a few months until she could trust me. One night after class I finally got my chance and used it to talk her into attending a party I was throwing the following week. The whole thing was planned so I could get her drunk and seduce her. Everything was going perfectly until she blatantly refused to drink any alcohol. I got impatient and decided to slip a roofie into her soda to speed up the process. As soon as it hit her, she started blabbing on about some girl named 'Rachel' and how she was helplessly in-love with her. You see this is where my dilemma began. My father had his heart set on her and I was going to do whatever it took to give him what he wanted"

Rachel was trying desperately to stay standing as her painfully twisting stomach threatened to rid itself of all its contents. Her body was screaming at her to punch him in the mouth and stop him from speaking but her curious mind couldn't help but want to hear the full story. "So to cut things short" he continued "I got mad and fucked the gay out of her until she couldn't remember her own name. I was amazingly hot. I would have stopped the first time or used protection if she hadn't stupidly blacked out and screamed the wrong name. By the time I was done with her, the bitch was unconscious and I was satisfied. To make things even better for me, I knocked her up and everything else fell into place. She was so easy to fool and even easier to manipulate and trick into marrying me"

"Both our families were happy and Russel even thanked me when I re-told the whole story to him. I left out the juicy details though. I couldn't tell him that I fucked his little princess until she almost died now could I?" he laughed as his mind wandered to the memory. Rachel flinched and dug her nails into the numb skin of her palms as jealousy, anger and disgust grew within her.

The seething brunette fought hard to stop herself from lashing out but only because there were more questions to be answered. "Why did you come after me in New York?" she asked through gritted teeth. Her feet shuffled a little forward and she held back tears as Quinn's face flashed through her mind.

Mark stared at her for a moment before his cold and calculating eyes became unreadable "Because it was all your fault." He sneered "Every bruise and cut I left on her body was because of you. That fucking bitch wouldn't even let me touch her. Eventually I would take my anger out on her and then get over it by hooking up with some slut but then you were everywhere. On every magazine, television show, newspaper until I couldn't fucking stand to look at you. I hated seeing that happy smile on her face and I knew it was you that she was hung up on after all those years. It made me fucking sick but I ignored it. I ignored it until she turned my own daughter into you! I had let that shit go on for too long so I had to take matters into my own hands. I had to get revenge on her for everything she had put me through and the best way to do that was to kill you. It was like the domino effect; if you died then Quinn automatically died along with you"

"You used me to get to Quinn?" the brunette fumed.

"Not like your midget ass didn't deserve it. My own wife couldn't love me because you took that ability away from her. I really loved her you know, even though my intentions were corrupt at first, I really did fall for her. To know that she couldn't love me back because of someone like you was infuriating!"

"Someone like me?" Rachel spat as she took a step toward him, she really hadn't noticed how much distance she had closed between them while he was still telling his story. It must of been her subconscious wanting to attack him for all the pain he had caused her family. "You don't know the first thing about love you selfish asshole! At least I respect her. I would give Quinn and Emily my life in a heartbeat if they asked for it. What did you give them? Broken bones and scars? You're fucking pathetic! To know that you even laid a hand on someone as beautiful as her robs me of any hesitance to kill you!"

The threat done nothing to calm Rachel down or relieve her anger, in fact it had the opposite effect. Without batting an eyelash, Mark reached behind him before the brunette could come within reaching distance and pulled out something shiny.

The brunette stopped short and took a hesitant step back as her eyes focused on the familiar weapon. It was the same knife he had almost plunged into her heart in the school parking lot, the second time he had attempted to murder her in cold blood. "You're that much of a coward?" she asked teasingly with a taunting smirk "You can't fight this out without resorting to weapons?"

Mark's grin slid off his face as he studied the knife in his hands. He stared at it for a short moment before shrugging and dropping it onto the floor beside him "I was going to make it nice and quick but I guess It would be better to break a few of your bones first. I waited a long time for this after all..."

Rachel inner victory dance was halted when he advanced on her quickly. In an instant, Mark had cornered her and pushed her against the wall "Is that all you got Midget?" he spat.

The brunette pushed herself off the cold bricks before quickly swinging at his face. Her fist connected to his nose and silenced his laughter as a disturbing cracking noise filled the room. "You fucking bitch!" he yelled before he grabbed her by the waist and held her up in the air until they were the same height. "You're going to regret that"

Rachel kicked and fought to get free but his grip was too strong. He laughed menacingly in her face before throwing her cruelly across the room. The brunette hit the ground with a loud thump but didn't have time to register the pain because he was already on her again. He forced her to look at him by pulling on her hair and just as her glazy eyes focused, she saw him clench his fist in preparation for a blow.

Her eyes snapped shut in anticipation but nothing came until she heard the front door snap open and a flash of blond hair fly past her. She believed her throbbing headache and blurred vision were playing tricks on her until Quinn's unmistakable voice filled her ears.

"Don't you dare fucking hurt her!" the blond screamed at she unleashed hell onto the unsuspecting man. "Do anything you want to me but don't you lay a hand on her! I will fucking kill you!"

Marks screams echoed throughout the house as Quinn's fists continued to pound down on his face. Rachel watched on in both horror and amusement as the man failed to stop her assault. She barely registered Puck standing there with his mouth open until she shook away her pain and crawled her way over to the fuming blond.

Her suddenly heavy and sore body reached out and enveloped the girl in her arms. Quinn protested at first until Rachel whispered into her ear "Baby it okay, I don't think he can move anymore" her bruised and bloody hands worked at wiping away the blonds' tears as Puck snapped back into reality and made his way over to them.

"Holy shit Rach! Are you okay?"

The brunette ignored him in favour of calming down her girlfriend. Quinn became even more distressed as she took in Rachel's battered appearance "God Rach, I'm so sorry! Baby are you in pain?"

Rachel shook her head and kissed Quinn's cheek affectionately before she pulled the girl closer to her in reassurance." You really are good for nothing Puckerman" she mumbled. She knew he was about to protest and let her eyes linger toward him for a split second.

That's when she saw it coming from the corner of her eyes.

Mark had somehow managed to crawl over to the knife he had previously dropped while both she and Puck had been trying to calm down Quinn. Everything happened so fast, too fast for her brain to react. Puck was on his feet in an instant as Mark dove toward the two women on the floor. The brunette tensed and pulled Quinn in closer to shield her from any harm.

Rachel's strangled cry registered after the deafened gunshot was fired and collided with Mark own agony filled groan. His head cracked against the timber floor as his limp body fell to its demise but all attention was on the brunette who was stoic as she shared at the knife in her arm.

"Fuck Rachel don't move!" Puck yelled as Quinn's eyes widened in shock. Rachel turned toward the blond woman and mirrored her expression until her eyes started to water and had to close. The unmentionable pain shooting through her arm was nothing like the brunette had ever experienced before but as she looked into Quinn hazel orbs, Rachel knew that she would do it all over again in a heartbeat.

"The ambulance is like two minutes away Rach, Don't worry, you're going to be fine!" the brunette didn't hear a single word being spoken around her, instead her eyes focused on Mark's even breathing as he clutched his own shoulder in a similar fashion.

"Emily.." Rachel whispered unsuccessfully and tried to rise to her feet.

"Rach sit down! I'll find her" Puck promised but the brunette shook her head.

"Shut up Noah, my head is killing me!" she yelled at the man and effectively shut him up.

Quinn was still suffering a panic attack as her eyes stayed glued to the knife hanging out of Rachel's arm. "Don't worry" the brunette assured her through a watery smile "I won't bleed to death unless I take the knife out"

Rachel felt like she was knocking on deaths doorstep, as she started to drift in and out of consciousness. The searing pain started to numb as Quinn held onto her hand and recited what sounded like a prayer. Her heavy eyelids were beginning to droop shut until she remembered something. "Emily" she whispered. The brunette tried to sit up but was pushed back down by Quinn's gentle hands. "Please stay still baby" she pleaded softly into Rachel's ear.

The brunette fought to stay awake as she looked into tearful hazel eyes. She bought the blonds' hand to her lips before gently kissing her palm and intertwining their fingers. Once their hands were resting comfortingly on-top of Rachel's chest, the brunette broke their eye contact to look at Puck. Thankfully the man seemed to understand what she was silently trying to convey and he nodded before disappearing down the hall.

Police lights and sirens surrounded them just as Rachel attempted to move again. The foolish move robbed her of any energy she had left as Quinn continued to whisper words of promise into her ears. The last thing she remembered feeling was happiness and relief as Puck came back into the room, cradling a safe and sleeping Emily in his arms. Rachel smiled happily and meet Quinn's equally joyous gaze before mouthing _'I Love You_' and slipping out of consciousness.

* * *

**Thoughts?**

**Will she live?**

**Any final questions you guys need answered?**

**AND would you like a fluffy ending? im a sucker for happy ending myself :P**

**It's almost the end...hope you all enjoyed it so far. :D**


	26. Chapter 26

**Okay where do I start?**

**I'm a jackass I know!**

**I'm really sorry, I got caught up in so many assignments and exams and didn't have time to write because I was so busy stressing.**

**I hadn't noticed that it had been so long and how much of you were waiting for this until I logged into my account today to read the reviews. *Feels so ashamed***

**Again, I'm so sorry! I finally got my ass into gear and pushed through my writers block to finish this.**

**Thank you so much to my loyal readers for sticking with me even though my writing was cringe worthy at times haha, I can't thank you enough! Hopefully I've improved through my absence :D**

**Hope you guys enjoy this!**

* * *

The pain didn't even register at first.  
She would have believed that her limbs were numb if it weren't for the warm softness cradled into her side. Eye lids slowly fluttered open, hoping to burrow further into the provided comfort of the heat source only to regret that decision with a groan. Her Head hurt, her arm hurt and god, why was her throat so damn dry?

The blinding lights flashing behind her eyes slowing disappeared before cautious footsteps made their way closer. Her gratitude was short lived as memories of pained hazel eyes once again robbed her of her breath. Before the pain could start to seep in, a warm shaky hand cradled her own and a tear stained face kissed battered knuckles.

A familiar sense of comfort took over Rachel's senses as her stiff body relaxed into the hard mattress under her. Without even opening her eyes, the brunette tiredly smiled before basking in the warmth surrounding her.

Her stinging eyelids fluttered open to meet her lovers gaze as those warm fingers caressed her own, ever so gentle and not without leaving a burning trace of tenderness in their wake.

"Quinn" she hoarsely whispered only to be silenced when her dry throat made its return. The pale hand caressing her skin disappeared only to return moments later when a straw was pressed to her lips.

"Drink" a soft velvety voice ordered softly as the brunette gratefully obeyed. Her sudden thirst halted momentarily as tearful eyes stared at her in wonder. Their gazes met but before either could speak, movement on her other side caught her attention. Her stiff neck snapped toward the intrusion only to melt her heart as she discovered the mystery of the heat source that had awakened her.

Emily was burrowed into her side, carefully maneuvered away from her injured arm. Her sleeping form clutched onto Rachel's hospital gown for a few seconds before finally relaxing again. The brunette stared at the little girl with an adoring smile on her face before reaching out to run her fingers through Emily's similar brown hair.

"She's okay" Quinn's voice sounded from behind the brunette and released her from her fleeting thoughts. She kissed the small girls forehead gently before turning toward the broken voice trying to reassure her. "She couldn't sleep without being close to you, she even argued with the doctors when they tried to get her off your bed"

The blond tried to laugh at her daughter's antics but a pained sob escaped her throat instead. Rachel reached up only to narrowly miss her as Quinn turned away to wipe at her tears. "Baby look at me" the brunette pleaded as she finally gripped her girlfriend's hand. "Everything is okay. It's finally over"

Quinn finally relented and looked down to meet equally pained chocolate orbs. "I-I almost lost you…you could have died because of me a-and-"

"Shh come here" Rachel cut off the blondes rambling and pulled her as close as possible without actually getting on the bed with her. Quinn awkwardly bent down and buried her head into the brunette's shoulder as she continued to freely cry in her arms. At this point, Rachel was torn between trying to find a comfortable angle and comforting her distressed girlfriend. She huffed at her internal argument before finally giving in and deciding to speak up. "Baby get on the bed so I can hold you properly". Quinn let out a small chuckle before complying with the injured girls wishes. Mindful of her bruises, Rachel pulled her as close as humanly possible while rubbing the girls back soothingly. "I'm perfectly fine you know I would get up and break dance right now and prove it to you but my arms are already occupied".

The brunette beamed when her girlfriend genuinely giggled before maneuvering her head to kiss the blondes nose adoringly. "It's all over, you're all mine now. That psycho whose name shall never be mentioned again is going to be locked up for the rest of his life while you and I make lots of babies"

Quinn continued to laugh cutely as she lifted her head to meet her girlfriends gaze. "I'm so glad you said that, Emily's been bugging me for a little brother".

Rachel widened her eyes playfully before grinning and closing the distance between their lips. She bit the blonds' lower lip and pulled back quickly to grin mischievously. "Why don't we start now? I've probably been unconscious for days and that means we need to make up for lost time".

Quinn's dazed look shifted to excited at the prospect before she remembered they were in a hospital. "You know that's not fair" she pouted before leaning forward to claim the soft lips she had missed so much. This kiss unlike the other was so tender that Rachel had to will her tears not to fall. The brunette ran her fingers through soft blond locks while using her hold to pull her girlfriend closer.

Quinn's need to deepen the kiss was halted as a loud squeal filled the room. They broke apart breathlessly, not even caring that they had been caught. Rachel stared at Quinn for a few heated moments before turning toward what had interrupted them. She was both amused and horrified that the noise hadn't come from a sleeping Emily but rather an excited and relieved looking Puck.

"Babe I'm not even going to comment on how hot that was because you're finally awake!" He fist pumped before moving further into the room as Quinn and Rachel stared at him in annoyance.

"Get lost Puckerman, we were in the middle of something"

Puck's grin disappeared as he turned fearful eyes toward the blond. "Could we please have the new Quinn back? I'm still scared of the HBIC because you beat me up pretty bad when Rach passed out". He pointed toward his black eye and Rachel was torn between laughing at Puck and being aroused at her girlfriend's strength.

Hazel eyes narrowed before Puck turned his gaze toward Rachel, silently begging her to let him stay. "I'm perfectly fine Noah! I think they gave me some drugs because I can't feel anything anymore! Well…apart from wanting to rip all of Quinn's cloths off". A pale hand shot up to cover her mouth as a blushing Quinn bit her lip. Amusement painted her features as she caught a glimpse of the old unfiltered Rachel Berry she knew so well in high school.

The oblivious brunette winked at her girlfriend and tried to offer her an uncharacteristic saucy wink. Puck watched on in amusement as Quinn tried desperately not to laugh at the adorable brunette. "Noah please leave, I have unfinished business to attend to". Puck looked like he was on the verge of begging again before Quinn shot him a withering glare.

Putting his hands up in mock surrender, the man started walking away slowly. "I'll let your fathers know that you're awake and not to disturb you two. Oh and please don't try anything just yet, Emily is barely asleep".

Both women turned to look at the awakening child as Puck continued his exit, both completely oblivious to his joyful grin. Rachel cleared her throat before addressing her girlfriend while keeping her eyes locked onto the tiny girl cuddled into her side "Baby watch this".

Quinn watched on in anticipation as Rachel started humming, slowly becoming more confident as her nerves dissolved. She hadn't even attempted to sing since her accident, but in this moment she didn't have a care in the world. She felt free and happy for the first time in a long time. Her humming continued on until Emily opened her curious hazel eyes. The tiny girl's eyes widened at the sight of a fully conscious and happily beaming Rachel.

As soon as their eyes met Rachel began to sing.

_I love you__  
__you love me__  
__we're a happy family__  
__with a great big hug and a kiss from me to you__  
__wont you say you love me too!_

_i love you__  
__you love me__  
__we're best friends as friends should be__  
__with a great big hug and a kiss from me to you__  
__wont you say you love me too!_

Stifled giggles sounded behind her as Emily squealed and threw herself onto the older brunette. "I love you too!" she yelled proudly.

Quinn quickly followed her daughters lead and threw herself at Rachel too, still laughing at her girlfriends antics. "We both love you Rach, so much".

The emotional roller coaster had taken its toll, but Rachel knew she would do it all again in a heartbeat. In this moment, surrounded by the two people she would die for, the brunette closed her eyes and basked in the love of her family as she finally let go of all the hurt and pain her past had caused her.

"I love you guys too, so so much".

* * *

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Rachel asked for the hundredth time that day.

Quinn smiled reassuringly and squeezed the brunette's hand. "I'm sure Rach"

"Are you sure? Because you know that he's gone now so no one can hurt you, unless _she_ tries anything but if that happens ill protect you!" Quinn bit her lip and leaned forward to kiss the girl senseless, inwardly swooning at her declaration.

"You're already my hero baby" she whispered when they pulled apart before things got too heated.

Rachel shook her head to clear her inappropriate thoughts and smiled at the blond crookedly before looking down at the fidgeting child latched onto her hip. "Are you ready sweetheart? You don't have to come if you don't want too".

Emily looked up at the older brunette and smiled shyly. "It's okay Mommy, I wanna meet her".

Rachel grinned back and bent down to press a comforting kiss on her forehead. "I'm so proud of you. If you want to leave at any time just squeeze my hand and we can go get ice cream".

The young girl beamed back and nodded quickly as she released her death grip on the older woman. "Can I get chocolate chip?" she asked with wide eyes as Rachel chuckled and nodded back enthusiastically.

Quinn laughed at the similar pair and watched on in amusement as Emily wrapped an oblivious Rachel around her little finger. Both brunettes nodded at each other before straightening their posture and looking toward the blond with new found determination.

Shaking her head playfully, Quinn pulled Rachel toward her for a quick kiss before bending down to pick up their daughter. "Let's do this so we can all go out for ice cream" she stated while walking toward the large house and dragging her adorable girlfriend along with her.

Her steady hand subtly started to shake as she reached up to press the intimidating doorbell. Quinn closed her eyes and fought to control her nerves as she heard footsteps on the other side. Rachel took hold of the pale hand and quickly bought it up to her mouth to gently sooth her girlfriend's nerves. Thankfully it distracted Quinn long enough to forget about her thoughts before the door swung open and a gasp sounded in front of the trio.

Wordlessly, Rachel took Emily from Quinn as the stoic blond locked eyes with the woman in front of them.

"Quinnie?" An older blond gasped again as her eyes filled with tears.

Quinn's jaw clenched before relaxing and taking cautious steps forward to embrace her shocked mother.

"God….I can't believe you're here, you came back?" the older blond cried into her daughters shoulder as she held her in a tight hug.

Both Rachel and Emily watched on in awe, as Quinn and her mother reunited.

"I-I'm so sorry Mom" The younger blond whispered as her mother shook her head in disbelief.

"Don't you dare apologize to me after everything you've been through! I understand now. I heard everything from the police. Why didn't you tell me baby? I would have killed that bastard myself! " Quinn's grip tightened as her mother fumed. "God, it's all my fault, I should have never listened to your father, I regret throwing him out without inflicting some serious pain on that cheating asshole! I should have thrown his mothers lamp at his head!"

Quinn smiled through her tears as she slowly pulled away from her mother. "It's okay mom, I never blamed you. We're all fine now. Rach….my girlfriend Rachel saved us".

Both blondes snapped out of their haze as they looked toward the two brunettes. Rachel blushed in embarrassment as everyone looked at her in amazement. "H-hi Mrs. Fabray. I-um I told Quinn that you were looking for her and um…surprise?"

Judy blinked once, then twice before moving past Quinn to wrap her arms around Rachel and her granddaughter tightly, "Thank you so much Rachel, I'll never forget this. You bought my baby back to me".

Emily whined at being stuck in the middle of a tight hug and shyly smiled at Judy when the older blond looked down at her in wonder. "You must be my beautiful granddaughter right?"

Emily bit her lip and glanced at Rachel before looking up at Judy with wide eyes and slowly nodding. The older blond chuckled lightly before pinching the adorable little girl's cheeks. She shook her head fondly before wrapping an arm around Rachel's shoulder and leading both girls inside the house where Quinn was watching them with a relieved smile.

"I hope you all like ice cream; we have so much to catch up on!"

Emily's excited squeal was the last thing they heard before they all burst into laughter,

* * *

The lights slowly started to show themselves again as the room filled with applause. Rachel wiped at her tears as she forced her eyes away from the scene to make sure her wife was okay.

Quinn was yelling and crying at the same time which would have never looked so adorable on anyone else.

"Mom, is Mommy okay? Why are you two crying?". Rachel's eyes traced over every memorized feature of her beautiful wife's face before she looked down at the blond girl in her lap.

"Yeah baby these are happy tears, I promise"

Michelle, their youngest daughter smiled happily at the words before turning around to scream with the crowd. Rachel held onto her tightly to make sure she wouldn't jump up and start a riot, those embarrassing incidents had happened way more than she would have liked to admit.

The older brunette boy sitting on her left hand side tried to discretely wipe at his eyes but failed when Rachel caught him. Kissing him on the forehead before he could protest, the boy looked around to make sure no one had seen him before glaring at the brunette. "I told you not to do that in public mom, I'll be an adult in 3 years, you're gonna ruin my rep!"

Rachel narrowed her eyes at her son before the boy grinned at her sheepishly "No matter how old you get, you'll always be my baby, Isaac".

"I'm sorry" Isaac stated before leaned forward to kiss her on the cheek. She returned his grin and watched as he looked toward Quinn with a grimace. "You gonna take care of that? I swear shes gonna blow our ear drums if you don't stop her soon".

Rachel shook her head before handing Michelle over to Isaac. "Hold her while I check on your mother" The boy looked at Michelle and rolled his eyes at his younger sister's antics before shrugging and joining her.

Rachel chuckled lightly in amusement before grabbing hold of her wife's hand to calm her down. Quinn grinned at the brunette before scooping her up and holding her tightly. "Did you see that baby? She was so amazing, just like you!"

Rachel let the compliment get to her head before giggling and agreeing with the excited and emotional blond. "Well…she does get that from me" she winked as her wife leaned forward to kiss her much too inappropriately in public.

The brunette got caught up in the moment before she felt someone poking her, she pulled back with every intention to reprimand the irritating person but paused when she saw their kids glaring at them and pointing toward the stage. Quinn and Rachel both had the decency to look embarrassed before they got distracted by the rising curtain. The whole family beamed as the applause got louder and the cast stepped forward to take their final bow.

Emily looked into the crowd just in time to see her family shouting in joy and happiness as they proudly applauded her. Praises sounding suspiciously like "that's my baby!" and "that's my daughter!" coming from her mothers' filled the large room as she looked at them trying desperately to hold back her tears.

She winked at her brother and sister before leaving their gazes to meet her mothers' and mouthing _I love you _to them both.

Rachel blew her a kiss before the curtain closed and turned toward her still crying wife. "She's finally on Broadway!" she squealed happily.

Quinn stared at her with open adoration before pulling her close and whispering into her ear "Are you really that surprised? Her tiny mother is the brightest star of all"

Rachel blinked back her tears before kissing the blondes collarbone. "I love you so much" she whispered honestly.

Quinn kissed her nose before leaning down to meet her hidden eyes "I love you too, so so much".

Ignoring the fake gagging noises their children were making behind them, Rachel snuggled in closer to try and slow down her rapidly beating heart. The love she was feeling made her feel like it was going to burst.

In this moment, watching her eldest child succeed while her youngest children playfully mocked their public displays of affection?

Rachel knew this was true happiness and her life was finally complete.

* * *

**The End**

**Did you guys like the ending? **

**If you'll forgive me ill start working on another story;**

**Rachel's a psychic, trying to solve the mystery of Lima's haunted theater and somehow manages to drag an unwilling Quinn along with her on this adventure. **

**Look out for it in the future, Love you guys! **


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